Skip to main content
PMC home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1992 Jan;60(1):84–89. doi: 10.1128/iai.60.1.84-89.1992

In vivo modulation of the murine immune response to Francisella tularensis LVS by administration of anticytokine antibodies.

D A Leiby 1, A H Fortier 1, R M Crawford 1, R D Schreiber 1, C A Nacy 1
PMCID: PMC257506  PMID: 1729199

Abstract

The role(s) of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in establishment and maintenance of protective immunity to Francisella tularensis LVS in mice (C3H/HeN) was examined by selective removal of these cytokines in vivo with neutralizing antibodies. The 50% lethal dose (LD50) for mice infected intradermally with F. tularensis alone was 136,000 CFU; treatment of mice with anti-IFN-gamma or anti-TNF-alpha at the time of infection significantly reduced (P much less than 0.05) the LD50 to 2 and 5 CFU, respectively. Abrogation of protective immunity, however, was effective only when anti-IFN-gamma or anti-TNF-alpha was administered prior to day 3 postinfection. In contrast, the LD50 for mice treated with anti-IL-4 was repeatedly higher (555,000 CFU) than for controls; this difference, however, was not significant (P greater than 0.05). Thus, IL-4 may be detrimental, while IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha were clearly crucial to the establishment of protective immunity to F. tularensis during a primary infection. The importance of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha during a secondary immune response to F. tularensis was also investigated. Spleen cells from immune mice passively transfer protective immunity to recipient mice in the absence of confounding antibody-mediated immunity. This passive transfer of immunity, however, was abrogated by treatment of recipient mice with anti-IFN-gamma or anti-TNF-alpha at the time of challenge infection. That anticytokines effectively abrogate protective immunity very early in the course of infection with F. tularensis suggests that T-cell-dependent activation of macrophages for microbicidal activity is unlikely. These T-cell-independent events early in the course of infection may suppress bacterial replication until a T-cell-dependent response ultimately clears the bacteria.

Full text

PDF
84

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Anthony L. S., Ghadirian E., Nestel F. P., Kongshavn P. A. The requirement for gamma interferon in resistance of mice to experimental tularemia. Microb Pathog. 1989 Dec;7(6):421–428. doi: 10.1016/0882-4010(89)90022-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bancroft G. J., Bosma M. J., Bosma G. C., Unanue E. R. Regulation of macrophage Ia expression in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency: induction of Ia expression by a T cell-independent mechanism. J Immunol. 1986 Jul 1;137(1):4–9. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bancroft G. J., Schreiber R. D., Bosma G. C., Bosma M. J., Unanue E. R. A T cell-independent mechanism of macrophage activation by interferon-gamma. J Immunol. 1987 Aug 15;139(4):1104–1107. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bancroft G. J., Sheehan K. C., Schreiber R. D., Unanue E. R. Tumor necrosis factor is involved in the T cell-independent pathway of macrophage activation in scid mice. J Immunol. 1989 Jul 1;143(1):127–130. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Belosevic M., Finbloom D. S., Van Der Meide P. H., Slayter M. V., Nacy C. A. Administration of monoclonal anti-IFN-gamma antibodies in vivo abrogates natural resistance of C3H/HeN mice to infection with Leishmania major. J Immunol. 1989 Jul 1;143(1):266–274. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Buchmeier N. A., Schreiber R. D. Requirement of endogenous interferon-gamma production for resolution of Listeria monocytogenes infection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Nov;82(21):7404–7408. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.21.7404. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Desiderio J. V., Kiener P. A., Lin P. F., Warr G. A. Protection of mice against Listeria monocytogenes infection by recombinant human tumor necrosis factor alpha. Infect Immun. 1989 May;57(5):1615–1617. doi: 10.1128/iai.57.5.1615-1617.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dorshkind K., Pollack S. B., Bosma M. J., Phillips R. A. Natural killer (NK) cells are present in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (scid). J Immunol. 1985 Jun;134(6):3798–3801. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Fortier A. H., Slayter M. V., Ziemba R., Meltzer M. S., Nacy C. A. Live vaccine strain of Francisella tularensis: infection and immunity in mice. Infect Immun. 1991 Sep;59(9):2922–2928. doi: 10.1128/iai.59.9.2922-2928.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gessner A., Moskophidis D., Lehmann-Grube F. Enumeration of single IFN-gamma-producing cells in mice during viral and bacterial infection. J Immunol. 1989 Feb 15;142(4):1293–1298. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Handa K., Suzuki R., Matsui H., Shimizu Y., Kumagai K. Natural killer (NK) cells as a responder to interleukin 2 (IL 2). II. IL 2-induced interferon gamma production. J Immunol. 1983 Feb;130(2):988–992. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Havell E. A. Evidence that tumor necrosis factor has an important role in antibacterial resistance. J Immunol. 1989 Nov 1;143(9):2894–2899. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Heinzel F. P., Sadick M. D., Holaday B. J., Coffman R. L., Locksley R. M. Reciprocal expression of interferon gamma or interleukin 4 during the resolution or progression of murine leishmaniasis. Evidence for expansion of distinct helper T cell subsets. J Exp Med. 1989 Jan 1;169(1):59–72. doi: 10.1084/jem.169.1.59. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Li H., Jerrells T. R., Spitalny G. L., Walker D. H. Gamma interferon as a crucial host defense against Rickettsia conorii in vivo. Infect Immun. 1987 May;55(5):1252–1255. doi: 10.1128/iai.55.5.1252-1255.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Liew F. Y., Parkinson C., Millott S., Severn A., Carrier M. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF alpha) in leishmaniasis. I. TNF alpha mediates host protection against cutaneous leishmaniasis. Immunology. 1990 Apr;69(4):570–573. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Nakane A., Minagawa T., Kato K. Endogenous tumor necrosis factor (cachectin) is essential to host resistance against Listeria monocytogenes infection. Infect Immun. 1988 Oct;56(10):2563–2569. doi: 10.1128/iai.56.10.2563-2569.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Nakane A., Minagawa T., Kohanawa M., Chen Y., Sato H., Moriyama M., Tsuruoka N. Interactions between endogenous gamma interferon and tumor necrosis factor in host resistance against primary and secondary Listeria monocytogenes infections. Infect Immun. 1989 Nov;57(11):3331–3337. doi: 10.1128/iai.57.11.3331-3337.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Nakane A., Minagawa T., Yasuda I., Yu C., Kato K. Prevention by gamma interferon of fatal infection with Listeria monocytogenes in mice treated with cyclosporin A. Infect Immun. 1988 Aug;56(8):2011–2015. doi: 10.1128/iai.56.8.2011-2015.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Ohara J., Paul W. E. Production of a monoclonal antibody to and molecular characterization of B-cell stimulatory factor-1. Nature. 1985 May 23;315(6017):333–336. doi: 10.1038/315333a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Pace J. L., Russell S. W., Torres B. A., Johnson H. M., Gray P. W. Recombinant mouse gamma interferon induces the priming step in macrophage activation for tumor cell killing. J Immunol. 1983 May;130(5):2011–2013. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Portnoy D. A., Schreiber R. D., Connelly P., Tilney L. G. Gamma interferon limits access of Listeria monocytogenes to the macrophage cytoplasm. J Exp Med. 1989 Dec 1;170(6):2141–2146. doi: 10.1084/jem.170.6.2141. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Sadick M. D., Heinzel F. P., Holaday B. J., Pu R. T., Dawkins R. S., Locksley R. M. Cure of murine leishmaniasis with anti-interleukin 4 monoclonal antibody. Evidence for a T cell-dependent, interferon gamma-independent mechanism. J Exp Med. 1990 Jan 1;171(1):115–127. doi: 10.1084/jem.171.1.115. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Schofield L., Villaquiran J., Ferreira A., Schellekens H., Nussenzweig R., Nussenzweig V. Gamma interferon, CD8+ T cells and antibodies required for immunity to malaria sporozoites. Nature. 1987 Dec 17;330(6149):664–666. doi: 10.1038/330664a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Schreiber R. D., Hicks L. J., Celada A., Buchmeier N. A., Gray P. W. Monoclonal antibodies to murine gamma-interferon which differentially modulate macrophage activation and antiviral activity. J Immunol. 1985 Mar;134(3):1609–1618. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Sheehan K. C., Ruddle N. H., Schreiber R. D. Generation and characterization of hamster monoclonal antibodies that neutralize murine tumor necrosis factors. J Immunol. 1989 Jun 1;142(11):3884–3893. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Steeg P. S., Moore R. N., Johnson H. M., Oppenheim J. J. Regulation of murine macrophage Ia antigen expression by a lymphokine with immune interferon activity. J Exp Med. 1982 Dec 1;156(6):1780–1793. doi: 10.1084/jem.156.6.1780. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Suzuki Y., Orellana M. A., Schreiber R. D., Remington J. S. Interferon-gamma: the major mediator of resistance against Toxoplasma gondii. Science. 1988 Apr 22;240(4851):516–518. doi: 10.1126/science.3128869. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Tärnvik A. Nature of protective immunity to Francisella tularensis. Rev Infect Dis. 1989 May-Jun;11(3):440–451. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Wherry J. C., Schreiber R. D., Unanue E. R. Regulation of gamma interferon production by natural killer cells in scid mice: roles of tumor necrosis factor and bacterial stimuli. Infect Immun. 1991 May;59(5):1709–1715. doi: 10.1128/iai.59.5.1709-1715.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Williams D. M., Byrne G. I., Grubbs B., Marshal T. J., Schachter J. Role in vivo for gamma interferon in control of pneumonia caused by Chlamydia trachomatis in mice. Infect Immun. 1988 Nov;56(11):3004–3006. doi: 10.1128/iai.56.11.3004-3006.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Williams D. M., Magee D. M., Bonewald L. F., Smith J. G., Bleicker C. A., Byrne G. I., Schachter J. A role in vivo for tumor necrosis factor alpha in host defense against Chlamydia trachomatis. Infect Immun. 1990 Jun;58(6):1572–1576. doi: 10.1128/iai.58.6.1572-1576.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES