@ARTICLE{Chaubey2026-nr,
  title     = "Chronic hyperglycemia induces macrophage iron accumulation and
               promotes Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence",
  author    = "Chaubey, Gaurav Kumar and Dilawari, Rahul and Modanwal,
               Radheshyam and Talukdar, Sharmila and Dhiman, Asmita and
               Patidar, Anil and Chaudhary, Surbhi and Sindhu, Anurag and
               Kumar, Ajay and Raje, Chaaya Iyengar and Raje, Manoj",
  abstract  = "Tuberculosis-diabetes comorbidity represents significant global
               health challenges, though the underlying mechanisms remain
               poorly understood. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb), the
               causative agent of tuberculosis, has a very high requirement of
               iron and its availability is a determining factor for successful
               establishment of infection. Host innate immune system and
               macrophages attempt to limit iron availability to restrict
               bacterial growth. We investigated the relationship between
               hyperglycemia and intracellular iron dynamics during infection
               using, THP-1-derived and primary macrophages from diabetic mice
               maintained under high-glucose conditions. Both showed increased
               intracellular iron along with higher expression of iron uptake
               receptors. Bacteria inside macrophages also contained more iron.
               Iron chelation significantly reduced M.tb burden in the lungs
               and spleen of infected diabetic mice. These findings suggest
               that hyperglycemia creates a ``glucose legacy'' that promotes
               iron accumulation, thereby increasing host susceptibility to
               M.tb infection, and reveals iron chelation as a promising
               adjunct therapeutic strategy.",
  journal   = "iScience",
  publisher = "Elsevier BV",
  volume    =  29,
  number    =  6,
  pages     = "116156",
  month     =  jun,
  year      =  2026,
  keywords  = "Immunology",
  copyright = "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  language  = "en"
}