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<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We investigated the interaction of <it>Mycobacterium avium </it>subspecies <it>paratuberculosis, M. bovis </it>and <it>M. tuberculosis </it>and different glial cells (enteric glial and microglial cells) in order to evaluate the infecting ability of these microorganisms and the effects produced on these cells, such as the evaluation of cytokines expression.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our experiments demonstrated the adhesion of <it>M. paratuberculosis </it>to the enteroglial cells and the induction of IL-1A and IL-6 expression; <it>M. tuberculosis </it>and <it>M. bovis </it>showed a good adhesive capability to the enteric cell line with the expression of the following cytokines: IL-1A and IL-1B, TNF-α, G-CSF and GM-CSF; <it>M. bovis </it>induced the expression of IL-6 too.</p> <p>The experiment performed with the microglial cells confirmed the results obtained with the enteroglial cells after the infection with <it>M. tuberculosis </it>and <it>M. bovis</it>, whereas <it>M. paratuberculosis </it>stimulated the production of IL-1A and IL-1B.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Enteroglial and microglial cells, could be the target of pathogenic mycobacteria and, even if present in different locations (Enteric Nervous System and Central Nervous System), show to have similar mechanism of immunomodulation.</p>