Mycobacteria and macrophage activation.
Recent studies that challenged some older concepts have led to the following conclusions: 1) During an infection of mice with M. bovis, BCG macrophages are activated according to certain criteria, but the increase in their bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity is limited to a small number of bacteria species; 2) interferon-gamma can activate macrophages in vitro and in vivo, but these cells do not exhibit increased bactericidal activity; 3) a 65-kDa protein of mycobacteria can activate macrophages in vivo to a limited degree only; and 4) granulocytes stimulated with interferon-gamma kill ingested M. fortuitum more efficiently than normal granulocytes.
van Furth
R
R
Dept. of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma