While 51% of the variance in gene expression was accounted for by activation with PMA/I, regardless of whether the cells had been exposed to IL‐2 (TB IL‐2 compared to TB+ IL‐2, and TB IL‐2nil compared to TB+ IL‐2nil), 22% of the variance was attributed to the presence of IL‐2 (Fig 5A and B). Here, IL2 is linked to tuberculosis.