Constitutive expression of Bcl-2 in the haematopoietic compartment alters the metabolism of iron and increases resistance to mycobacterial infection.

Mice expressing a vav-bcl-2 transgene were tested for their resistance to an experimental infection with Mycobacterium avium. When compared with control littermates, transgenic mice exhibited an increase in the resistance to infection which was independent of B or T lymphocytes and did not require the production of gamma interferon. Macrophages from both control and transgenic mice showed equal permissiveness to M. avium growth in vitro. Finally, transgenic mice expressed diminished circulating iron levels which correlated with the increased resistance to infection.