Patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease have elevated transforming growth factor-beta following ex vivo stimulation of blood with live Mycobacterium intracellulare.
Ovrutsky AR, Merkel PA, Schonteich E, Bai X, Kinney W, Iseman MD, Kartalija M, Knight V, Chan ED. Patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease have elevated transforming growth factor-beta following ex vivo stimulation of blood with live Mycobacterium intracellulare. Scand J Infect Dis. 2013 Sep; 45(9):711-4.