Increased susceptibility to bacterial superinfection as a consequence of innate antiviral responses.
The reason why severe localized or systemic virus infections enhance and aggravate bacterial superinfection is poorly understood. Here we show that virus-induced IFN type I caused apoptosis in bone marrow granulocytes, drastically reduced granulocyte infiltrates at the site of bacterial superinfection, caused up to 1,000-fold higher bacterial titers in solid organs, and increased disease susceptibility. The finding that the innate antiviral immune response reduces the antibacterial granulocyte defense offers an explanation for enhanced susceptibility to bacterial superinfection during viral disease.
Navarini
Alexander A
AA
Institute for Experimental Immunology, University Hospital Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland. navarini@hotmail.com
Recher
Mike
M
Lang
Karl S
KS
Georgiev
Panco
P
Meury
Susanne
S
Bergthaler
Andreas
A
Flatz
Lukas
L
Bille
Jacques
J
Landmann
Regine
R
Odermatt
Bernhard
B
Hengartner
Hans
H
Zinkernagel
Rolf M
RM
D000380:Agranulocytosis; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000276:immunology*; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000276:immunology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology*; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000276:immunology; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology; D008216:Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D053633:Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015163:Superinfection / Q000276:immunology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology*
D007370:Interferon Type I; D053633:Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta