Secreted Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv3654c and Rv3655c Proteins Participate in the Suppression of Macrophage Apoptosis

Inhibition of macrophage apoptosis by Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been proposed as one of the virulence mechanisms whereby the pathogen avoids the host defense. The mechanisms by which M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain suppress apoptosis and escapes human macrophage killing was investigated.