Study of macrophages in BCG granulomas in different compartments of the mononuclear phagocyte system

Abstract

We studied in vitro morphological and functional properties of macrophages associated with their M1 and M2 polarization in different mononuclear phagocyte compartments during BCG-induced granuloma formation, namely expression patterns of cytokines IL-1α, GM-CSF, TNF-α, and clusters of differentiation CD36 and CD16/32. We showed the mosaic pattern of macrophage polarization in BCG granulomatosis manifested by simultaneous formation of different macrophage subpopulations with M1 and M2 phenotypes in the population of mononuclear phagocytes of BCG granulomas and various compartments of the mononuclear phagocyte system. These data clarify the role of the functional polarization of macrophages in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis infection.