Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) has co-evolved with humans for decades and developed several mechanisms to evade host immunity. It can efficiently alter the host epigenome, thus playing a major role in immunomodulation by either activating or suppressing genes responsible for mounting an immune response against the pathogen. Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation and chromatin remodelling regulate gene expression and influence several cellular processes. The involvement of epigenetic factors in disease onset and development had been overlooked upon in comparison to genetic mutations. It is now believed that assessment of epigenetic changes hold great potential in diagnosis, prevention and treatment strategies for a wide range of diseases. In this review, we unravel the principles of epigenetics and the numerous ways by which MTB re-shapes the host epigenetic landscape as a strategy to overpower the host immune system for its survival and persistence.

结核分枝杆菌(MTB) 与人类共同进化了几十年，并开发了几种逃避宿主免疫的机制。它可以有效地改变宿主表观基因组，从而通过激活或抑制负责对病原体产生免疫反应的基因在免疫调节中发挥重要作用。DNA甲基化和染色质重塑等表观遗传修饰调节基因表达并影响多种细胞过程。与基因突变相比，表观遗传因素在疾病发作和发展中的参与被忽视了。现在认为，表观遗传变化的评估在多种疾病的诊断、预防和治疗策略中具有巨大潜力。在本次审查中，