The role of endosymbiotic Wolbachia bacteria in the pathogenesis of river blindness.
Parasitic filarial nematodes infect more than 200 million individuals worldwide, causing debilitating inflammatory diseases such as river blindness and lymphatic filariasis. Using a murine model for river blindness in which soluble extracts of filarial nematodes were injected into the corneal stroma, we demonstrated that the predominant inflammatory response in the cornea was due to species of endosymbiotic Wolbachia bacteria. In addition, the inflammatory response induced by these bacteria was dependent on expression of functional Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on host cells.
Saint André
Amélie v
Av
Division of Geographic Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
Blackwell
Nathan M
NM
Hall
Laurie R
LR
Hoerauf
Achim
A
Brattig
Norbert W
NW
Volkmann
Lars
L
Taylor
Mark J
MJ
Ford
Louise
L
Hise
Amy G
AG
Lass
Jonathan H
JH
Diaconu
Eugenia
E
Pearlman
Eric
E
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017178:Brugia malayi / Q000502:physiology; D003315:Cornea / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004153:Dipetalonema / Q000502:physiology; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007634:Keratitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D017181:Onchocerca volvulus / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology; D015827:Onchocerciasis, Ocular / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013559:Symbiosis; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D020577:Wolbachia / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D004318:Doxycycline