Protection against pulmonary infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae in mice by interferon-gamma through activation of phagocytic cells and stimulation of production of other cytokines.
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| Abstract |
The study was designed to determine the role of interferon (IFN)-gamma in inflammatory responses against experimentally induced pneumonia caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae. The host immunological responses in IFN-gamma gene knockout (IFN-gamma(-/-)) mice and immunocompetent control mice were compared. K. pneumoniae strain T-113 was inoculated intranasally into anaesthetised mice to induce pneumonia. Infected control mice survived significantly longer than infected IFN-gamma(-/-) mice. Viable bacterial counts in lungs and blood abruptly increased in IFN-gamma(-/-) mice; in contrast, a gradual decrease in the number of bacteria was noted in control mice. During the early stages of infection, the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6 in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid and IL-1beta in serum of IFN-gamma(-/-) mice were significantly lower than in control mice. During the late stage of infection, serum IL-6 level in IFN-gamma(-/-) mice was significantly higher than in control mice. These results suggest that the defective immunological host response, including inflammatory cytokine production caused by deficiency of IFN-gamma, is one of the mechanisms that allow the progression of pulmonary infection to systemic septicaemia.
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| Authors | Kanako Yoshida, Tetsuya Matsumoto, Kazuhiro Tateda, Kou Uchida, Shiro Tsujimoto, Yoichiro Iwakura, Keizo Yamaguchi |
| Journal | Journal of medical microbiology (J Med Microbiol) Vol. 50 Issue 11 Pg. 959-964 (Nov 2001) ISSN: 0022-2615 [Print] England |
| PMID | 11699592 (Publication Type: Journal Article) |
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