MicroRNAs in Tuberculosis: Do They Have A Functional Role In TB?

Tuberculosis (TB) is major health problem threatening many people worldwide. It is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. M. tuberculosis changes its cellular environment with the mechanisms that have been evolved since prehistoric times. The interactions between the bacteria and the host environment have been studied well. But the studies at RNA level began to emerge recently. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) became a target for different diseases depending on their regulatory role on gene expression. As the data about the new class of small non-coding RNA called microRNAs accumulate researchers find more information about their regulatory role in biological processes including immune response to infectious agents like mycobacteria. Several studies detected the alterations in the expression levels of miRNAs in the individuals that are infected. Researchers are trying to find miRNA expression profiles for the infection either in latent or active state which can also be used as biomarkers for diagnosis or miRNA based therapy options. Here we try to summarize some of the studies that include M. tuberculosis and the possible functions of miRNAs during TB infection.