A role for dendritic cells in the dissemination of mycobacterial infection.
The ability of mycobacteria to disseminate from the initial site of infection has an important role in immune priming and in the seeding of disease in multiple organs. To study this phenomenon, we used flow cytometry to analyse the distribution of green fluorescent protein-labelled BCG amongst different populations of antigen-presenting cells in the lungs of mice following intranasal infection, and monitored appearance of live bacteria in the draining mediastinal lymph nodes. BCG predominantly infected alveolar macrophages (CD11c(+)/CD11b(-)) and dendritic cells (CD11c(+)/CD11b(+)) in the lungs. The bacteria that disseminated to the lymph node were found in dendritic cells. The results are consistent with a model in which mycobacterial dissemination from the lung is initiated by the migration of infected dendritic cells to the draining lymph nodes.
Humphreys
Ian R
IR
Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Infection, Flowers Building, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
Stewart
Graham R
GR
Turner
David J
DJ
Patel
Janisha
J
Karamanou
Danai
D
Snelgrove
Robert J
RJ
Young
Douglas B
DB
D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008482:Mediastinum; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000472:pathogenicity*
D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins