These findings, in association with information about the secretion of cytokines and activation of the populations of CD4+ T cells, indicate that different subtypes of CD4+ T cells involved in protection in tuberculosis are activated in the initial phases of infection and produce cytokines classically considered immune protectors such as IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α [84, 85]. The gene discussed is IFNG; the disease is infection.