Previous studied have reported cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10, IFN-γ, TGF-β and chemokine VEGF, levels to be significantly different in macrophage cells infected by mycobacteria compared to uninfected controls as well as in TB patients compared to healthy controls (Dlugovitzky et al., 1997; Morosini et al., 2003; Vankayalapati et al., 2003; Sahiratmadja et al., 2007; Dubois-Colas et al., 2014; Helguera-Repetto et al., 2014; Sousa-Vasconcelos Pda et al., 2015). Here, TNF is linked to tuberculosis.