There were no significant differences in the production of IL1β by pulmonary epithelial cells, which increased from 24, 48, and 72 h post-infection by wild type, Mycobacterium tuberculosis curli pili (MTP) mutant and complemented strains of M. tuberculosis [76], suggesting that IL1 cytokine production is not dependent on the MTP antigen. This evidence concerns the gene IL1A and infection.