Contribution of Vg9/Vd2 T lymphocytes to immune protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis is still a matter of debate. It was reported earlier that Vg9/Vd2 T lymphocytes kill macrophages harboring live M. tuberculosis through a granule-dependent mechanism that results in killing of intracellular bacilli. This study found that Vg9/Vd2 T lymphocytes reduce the viability of both extracellular and intracellular M. tuberculosis. Granulysin and perforin, both detected in Vg9/Vd2 T lymphocytes,

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... y a major role, which indicates that Vg9/Vd2 T lymphocytes directly contribute to a protective host response against M. tuberculosis infection.