The role of the cytolytic mediators, granulysin and perforin, in tuberculosis

Protective immunity against mycobacterial infection requires an effective cytolytic response, in addition to an intact Type l (Th1) cytokine pathway. Natural killer (NK) cells and cytolytic T-cells (CTL) are essential components of protective immunity against tuberculosis (TB) and mediate granule-dependent killing of infected cells. Granulysin, an antimicrobial protein, and perforin, a pore-forming molecule, have been found to co-localise in the granules of these two cell types. Granulysin has been shown to be directly cytotoxic to extracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) and, together with perforin, is cytolytic against intracellular mycobacteria. This project evaluated the role of these two cytolytic mediators in TB.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Division of Clinical Immunology

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Semple, Patricia Lynn

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Ress, Stanley
• Shephard, Enid

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12403

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/12403