An international team of scientists, which was joined by a Russian specialist as well, researched the mechanism used by immune cells to fight the mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogens.

      The authors published their findings in the PNAS journal. They studied the behavior of cells in so-called granulomas: the nodules in the lung tissue, which are sure to appear during human pulmonary tuberculosis infection.

      Granulomas arise by multiplication of immune phagocytic cells, which then mature into macrophage cells. These cells fight the lung mycobacteria as much as they can. Scientists have discovered the details of this process. The key role is played by macrophage enzymes that lead to the release of nitric oxide NO, but another enzyme regulates the intensity of its synthesis. Due to its free radical nature NO molecule kills bacterial cells.