@article{26637,
  author = {Marques MA and Berrêdo-Pinho M and Rosa T and Pujari V and Lemes R and Lery L and Silva CAM and Guimarães AC and Atella GC and Wheat W and Brennan PJ and Crick D and Belisle JT and Pessolani MC},
  title = {The essential role of cholesterol metabolism in the intracellular survival of Mycobacterium leprae is not coupled to central carbon metabolism and energy production.},
  abstract = {<p>Mycobacterium leprae induces the formation of lipid droplets, which are recruited to pathogen-containing phagosomes in infected macrophages and Schwann cells. Cholesterol is among the lipids with increased abundance in M. leprae infected cells, and intracellular survival relies on cholesterol accumulation.</p>

<p>However, the bacteria avidly incorporated cholesterol, and as expected, converted it to cholestenone both in vitro and in vivo. Our data indicate that M. leprae has lost the capacity to degrade and utilize cholesterol as a nutritional source, but retains the enzyme responsible for its oxidation to cholestenone. Thus, the essential role of cholesterol metabolism in the intracellular survival of M. leprae is uncoupled from central carbon metabolism and energy production. Further elucidation of cholesterol metabolism in the host cell during M. leprae infection will establish the mechanism by which this lipid supports M. leprae intracellular survival and will open new avenues for novel leprosy therapies.</p>
},
  year = {2015},
  journal = {Journal of bacteriology},
  issn = {1098-5530},
  url = {http://jb.asm.org/content/197/23/3698.full },
  doi = {10.1128/JB.00625-15},
  language = {eng},
}