title: Macrophage--Mycobacterium tuberculosis interactions: role of complement receptor 3.
abstract: Tuberculosis is the leading infectious disease in the world. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causal agent of this disease, invades macrophages and can replicate inside them. Because invasion of macrophages is a critical step for establishing a mycobacterial infection, there is much interest in understanding the mechanisms for M. tuberculosis entry into macrophages. Complement receptor 3 (CR3) is a heterodimeric surface receptor with multiple binding sites, which can mediate complement-opsonized as well as nonopsonic entrance of M. tuberculosis into macrophages. Here, we describe and discuss the role of CR3 in macrophage[bond]M. tuberculosis interactions. The actual information suggests that CR3 mediates a substantial amount of M. tuberculosis binding to macrophages, but CR3 is not related to the mechanisms that allow mycobacteria to survive and replicate intracellularly. Understanding the mechanisms of macrophage[bond]M. tuberculosis interaction will help developing more effective methods to prevent and treat tuberculosis in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Marco Antonio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Velasco-Velázquez
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barrera
authors.forename: Aliesha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González-Arenas
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosales
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Agramonte-Hevia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D016177:Macrophage-1 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000502:physiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D016177:Macrophage-1 Antigen