Mycobacterium tuberculosis38-kDa Lipoprotein is Apoptogenic for Human Monocyte-derived Macrophages

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the main aetiologic agent of tuberculosis, a disease of great concern in less‐developed regions. Apoptosis is a conspicuous event in macrophages infected in vitro with mycobacteria, a phenomenon also observed in vivo in granulomas of patients with tuberculosis. To determine its significance, it is important to define the mycobacterial moieties involved and how they cause apoptosis. Here we show that the 38‐kDa...