Effects of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Mutant Strain Hsp16.3 Gene on Murine RAW 264.7 Macrophage Autophagy.

Heat shock protein Hsp16.3 is closely related to latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection and plays an important role in sustained survival when MTB is dormant. In this study, the Hsp16.3 gene mutant MTB H37Rv strain (Hsp16.3ΔMTB) was obtained through gene recombination and infected into murine RAW 264.7 macrophages. Western blotting and immunofluorescence showed increased expression of the autophagy-related protein LC3, and transmission electron microscopy showed significantly increased macrophage autophagosomes, suggesting that Hsp16.3ΔMTB facilitates murine macrophage autophagy. These findings have implications for preventing and controlling tuberculosis.