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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Dec 15.
Published in final edited form as: Adv Exp Med Biol. 2013;783:103–120. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4614-6111-1_6

Figure 2. Virulent mycobacteria tip the balance between PGE2 and LXA4 production in macrophages.

Figure 2

Infection with virulent Mtb induces LXA4, which inhibits the production of COX-2 dependent PGE2. In the absence of PGE2 mitochondria are damaged and membrane microdisruptions remain unrepaired triggering macrophage necrosis. We hypothesize that bacterial inhibition of prostaglandin production is an immune evasion strategy that allows Mtb to avoid the consequences of apoptosis which leads to early immune response