Characterizing Exosome Biogenesis and Function in Stimulating the Immune Response during a Mycobacterium Infection

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB, is an intracellular pathogen that primarily infects macrophages. The major focus of our laboratory is to understand how this intracellular pathogen interacts with the host immune system. In this context, we are interested in the role exosomes, bioactive vesicles of 30-150nm in size, play in modulating the host immune response. While much of our published work has characterized host cell responses to antigen-loaded exosomes, we know little about the mechanism by which exosomes are generated. This dissertation aims to characterize the pathway through which phagosome-sequestered mycobacterial proteins are targeted to exosomes during biogenesis in macrophages. Furthermore, this dissertation aims to identify the role of exosomes in eliciting an acquired immune response in the context of an in vivo mycobacterial infection.