Uptake of inhalable microparticles affects defence responses of macrophages infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra

Abstract

Microparticle phagocytosis induces responses in infected murine macrophages that are indicative of activation of innate bactericidal mechanisms, and are inimical to bacterial survival. It is likely that such responses augment straightforward drug action on the bacterium and contribute to the unexpectedly high efficacy of microparticles in experimental tuberculosis.