SLC11A1 and tuberculosis: Slc11a1 exacts pleiotropic effects on macrophage function that include enhanced chemokine KC, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, inducible nitric oxide synthase and MHC class II expression; all are important in the induction and maintenance of autoimmunity and cancer but also are crucially important in resistance to intramacrophage pathogens such as tuberculosis.