Book Review: The New Paradigm of Immunity to Tuberculosis

Shawn D P Ellis,Elliott R Carthy

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2013.00386

Abstract

The treatment of tuberculosis presents an enormous challenge to global health. Tuberculosis is a leading cause of death from infectious diseases worldwide, second only to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Although several therapeutics and vaccines are available to treat and prevent tuberculosis infections, more virulent varieties of tuberculosis and increased drug resistance in the form of multi, extreme, and total drug resistant disease are major emergent threats. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an obligate human pathogen and has co-evolved with humans for millennia, thus it has influenced the immune system of individuals who live in tuberculosis endemic regions. It is essential that therapeutic and research strategies targeted at tuberculosis should reflect this co-evolution. Elucidating the basic biology and immunology of tuberculosis is relevant to increasing and consolidating our fundamental understanding of the disease; thus, facilitating the development of therapeutics that will eradicate the disease and enable the immune system to achieve protection from tuberculosis. The book, The New Paradigm of Immunity to Tuberculosis edited by Maziar Divangahi (1), seeks to address the need for a comprehensive understanding of the immunological processes underlying tuberculosis infection by combining immunological and research perspectives. There are several comprehensive reviews and textbooks about immunity to tuberculosis infection, particularly concentrating on genetic susceptibilities (2) and therapeutics (3). However, the unique contribution of this book is that it is the most contemporary resource, which draws on the expertise of 25 distinguished international specialists to provide a single authoritative book on the induction and maintenance of immunity against tuberculosis infection.

Highlights

The book, The New Paradigm of Immunity to Tuberculosis edited by Maziar Divangahi (1), seeks to address the need for a comprehensive understanding of the immunological processes underlying tuberculosis infection by combining immunological and research perspectives
The book discusses lipid mediators of pro-apoptotic and pro-necrotic pathways within macrophages, highlighting and delineating the importance of these pathways in determining whether successful immunity is stimulated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection or if clinical disease develops
The burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on host immune function substantially increases the risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and its progression to active disease; understanding the complex association between both infections is important for successfully tackling tuberculosis

Summary

Introduction

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is able to inhibit the induction of apoptotic pathways and autophagy within macrophages whilst initiating necrosis in order to evade host defenses and prevent the launch of an immune response against the pathogen. This presents a potential therapeutic target to induce immunity to tuberculosis infection. The book discusses lipid mediators of pro-apoptotic and pro-necrotic pathways within macrophages, highlighting and delineating the importance of these pathways in determining whether successful immunity is stimulated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection or if clinical disease develops.

Results

Conclusion