title: Human phagocyte oxidative burst activation by BCG, M. leprae, and atypical mycobacteria: defective activation by M. leprae is not reversed by interferon gamma.
abstract: The activation of the phagocyte oxidative respiratory burst by various mycobacteria was evaluated in an in vitro assay, by measuring the chemiluminescence, associated to the release of oxidizing species, generated by normal human whole blood phagocytes. All mycobacterium species, except Mycobacterium leprae, induced a significant chemiluminescence response. The strongest stimulus was provided by BCG, followed by M. triviale, M. chelonei, and M. fortuitum. M. kansasii, M. intracellulare, and M. lepraemurium elicited a weak response, although higher than that triggered by M. leprae. Both polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cells contributed to the whole blood cell chemiluminescence stimulated by mycobacteria, mononuclear cells being more efficient on a per cell basis. Phagocyte activation by recombinant interferon gamma did not improve M. leprae ability to trigger a significant chemiluminescence response. The failure of M. leprae and of some atypical mycobacteria to stimulate a strong phagocyte oxidative respiratory burst may have some relevance to their pathogenicity.
authors.affiliation: Immunologie cellulaire, Institut Pasteur, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Launois
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maillere
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dieye
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sarthou
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005609:Free Radicals; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma