miRNA in Diagnosis and Therapeutics of Tuberculosis: Importance in Latent and Brain Associated Pathologies.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are the regulators of gene expression and several cellular processes related to the immune system. miRNAs during tuberculosis (TB) infection are considered regulatory factors for the host immune system. Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a great ability to survive and multiply in phagocytic cells, which makes it difficult to treat. It can replicate through various cellular pathways. To establish the infection in the host cell, M. tuberculosis changes in the miRNA expression and increases survival capacity with high infectivity. miRNAs are widely used as biomarkers and therapeutic agents for tuberculosis. During M. tuberculosis infection, altered miRNA expressions can cause the progression of the disease and discriminate between latent and active TB infection. Due to their active involvement in disease progression, miRNAs may be utilized as potential biomarkers. Furthermore, the involvement of miRNA in autophagy and apoptosis modulation against M. tuberculosis highlights its potential for host-directed therapy. In this review article, we attempt to summarize the expression and role of various miRNAs in TB as immune modulators, differential activators between different phases of TB, including neuronal dysfunction in the brain, as therapeutic targets and diagnostic tools against TB.