Exploring the function of exosomes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis host-pathogen interaction, and their effect on infection outcome

综上所述，我们的目标是剖析结核分枝杆菌感染细胞释放的外切体在肉芽肿形成和结核病作为一种疾病的传播中所起的作用。我们进一步想通过强调货物分子，如蛋白质和miRNAs，来表征这些外切体对感染结果的影响，这些分子可能是结核病中看到的扩张性炎症的关键，尽管感染细胞很少。我们认为，这些由感染细胞释放的外切体正在旁观者细胞中引发类似于Mtb直接相互作用的表型转换，鼓励炎症的失调。

In summary, we aim to dissect the role that exosomes released by Mtb-infected cells have in contributing to the aberrant immune response seen in granuloma formation and the dissemination of tuberculosis as a disease. We further want to characterise the effect of these exosomes on infection outcome, by highlighting cargo molecules, such as proteins and miRNAs, that may be key to the expansive inflammation seen in tuberculosis despite few infected cells being present. We believe these exosomes, released by infected cells, are eliciting a phenotypic switch in bystander cells similar to that of direct Mtb interaction, encouraging dysregulation of inflammation.