title: Profiles of the mRNA expression by macrophages infected with Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium avium complex.
abstract: In the present study, we examined profiles of the interaction of Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) with murine peritoneal macrophages (M phi s) in terms of up-regulation of M phi expression of proinflammatory and immunosuppressing cytolines (CKs) after infection. First, the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay revealed that both MAC and M. leprae infections up-regulated M phi mRNA expression IL-12, TNF-alpha, IL-10, and transformating growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), except that M. leprae-infected M phi s showed no increase in the IL-12 mRNA expression. Second, the RT-PCR assay also showed some differences between M. leprae- and MAC-infected M phi s with respect to the modes of IL-10 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression. That is MAC, but not M. leprae, infection caused a prolonged increase in the expression of IL-10 and iNOS mRNAs. Third, a ribonuclease protection assay revealed that M phi s co-infected with MAC and M. leprae showed the Il-12, TNF-alpha and IL-10 mRNA expression in an intermediate mode of those of M phi s infected with either M. leprae or MAC alone. This implies that the CK expression of M. leprae-infected M phi s may be modified by co-infection with MAC. These findings may suggest differential interactions of M. leprae and MAC organisms with murine peritoneal M phi s in terms of the activation of signal transduction pathways for expression of some kinds of immunoregulatory cytokines and immunoprotective enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Shimane Medical University, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Haruaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomioka
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse