Figure 7.

Expression and activity of hPXR plays a crucial role in drug nonresponsiveness to rifampicin in the mice model of TB. Humanized PXR mice model was generated by overexpression of hPXR in C57BL/6 mouse lungs using an adenoviral overexpression system and LacZ was used as a control. These control LacZ and hPXR overexpressing mice were infected with M. tuberculosis H37Rv via an aerosol challenge. After 15 days of infection the mice were divided into six treatment groups as shown and treated with the respective single or a combination of drugs. After 30 days of treatment the total number of bacilli in lungs was determined by cfu assays. Each group contained five mice. Horizontal lines represent the mean.*, p < 0.05 by the Mann-Whitney test; NS, non significant.