Prevention of Apoptosis by Mycobacterium leprae:

M. leprae inhibits apoptosis in THP-1 cells by downregulation of Bad and Bak and upregulation of Mcl-1 gene expression (2006)

Hasan, Z., Ashraf, M., Tayyebi, A., Hussain, R.

BMC Micro

(Figure 5)

Row A refers to the Bad/Bcl-2 levels in the cells after infection with either M. leprae or non-pathogenic M. bovis BCG (spon is the negative control). Note how the column labeled by M. leprae has significantly reduced Bad/Bcl-2 (39% compared to negative control), which indicates a supression of apoptotic ability.

Row B refers to the Bak/Bcl-2 levels in the cells after infection. Again, M. leprae shows reduced Bak/Bcl-2 expression (23% compared to negative control), which again indicates supression of apoptotic ability.

All cells were measured for expression 18 hours after infection.

Source:

Hasan, Z., Ashraf, M., Tayyebi, A., Hussain, R. 2006. M. leprae inhibits apoptosis in THP-1 cells by downregulation of Bad and Bak and upregulation of Mcl-1 gene expression. BMC Micro. 6:78. *Note that images were reproduced under the Creative Commons Attribution License*

Copyright Alex Greer 2007

For questions/comments, please contact Immunology professor Dr. Sofia Sarafova at Davidson College.