Immunity Related GTPase Family, M (IRGM)

Members of the p47 immunity-related GTPase (IRG) family, including IRGM, play an important role in the murine immune system; however, in humans this resistance system is greatly reduced. There is evidence that human IRGM plays a role in autophagy and control of intracellular mycobacteria .

In mouse, Irgm belongs to a family of gamma-interferon (IFNG)-induced GTP-binding proteins of approximately 47 to 48 kD. Murine Irgm1 induced autophagy and generated large autolysosomal organelles as a mechanism for the elimination of intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis. They also identified a function for human IRGM in the control of intracellular pathogens and reported that human IRGM plays a role in autophagy and in the reduction of intracellular bacillary load.