TB Bacteria Stiffen Immune Membranes With Lipid Vesicles to Evade Destruction

Overview

• Researchers from the National Institute of Science Education and Research reported the results in a bioRxiv preprint and are presenting them at the Biophysical Society’s annual meeting.
• Mycobacterial extracellular vesicles fuse with immune-cell membranes and raise membrane tension, which hinders phagosome–lysosome fusion and delays phagosome maturation.
• Purified mycobacterial lipids alone reproduced the membrane‑stiffening effect in model membranes and immune cells, dampening antimicrobial responses.
• The vesicles acted on neighboring, uninfected immune cells, weakening defenses before direct contact with the pathogen.
• Similar vesicle‑mediated effects were observed in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, suggesting a broader strategy and pointing to drug targets that will require validation.