Impaired antifungal effector activity but not inflammatory cell recruitment in interleukin-6-deficient mice with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.
A murine model of infection, in which immunocompetent or immunosuppressed interleukin-6-deficient (IL-6(-/-)) mice were infected intranasally with Aspergillus fumigatus conidia and were monitored for parameters of fungal colonization and innate and adaptive immunity, was used to assess the role of IL-6 in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). The results indicate that IL-6(-/-) mice were more susceptible than wild-type mice to IPA. Susceptibility was associated with increased inflammatory pathology, decreased antifungal effector functions of phagocytes, and impaired development of protective type 1 responses. Exposure to exogenous IL-6 restored antifungal effector activity.
Cenci
E
E
Microbiology Section, Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, 06122 Perugia, Italy. lromani@unipg.it
Mencacci
A
A
Casagrande
A
A
Mosci
P
P
Bistoni
F
F
Romani
L
L
D000818:Animals; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000276:immunology*; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003348:Cortisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007121:Immunocompetence; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000276:immunology
D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D003348:Cortisone