Alveolar macrophages are indispensable for controlling influenza viruses in lungs of pigs.
Alveolar macrophages constitutively reside in the respiratory tracts of pigs and humans. An in vivo role of alveolar macrophages in defending against influenza viruses in mice infected with a reassorted influenza virus, 1918 HA/NA:Tx/91, was reported, but there has been no report on an in vivo role of alveolar macrophages in a natural host such as a pig using currently circulating human influenza virus. Here we show that in vivo depletion of alveolar macrophages in pigs by dichloromethylene diphosphonate (MDPCL2) treatment results in 40% mortality when pigs are infected with currently circulating human H1N1 influenza viruses, while none of the infected control pigs died. All infected pigs depleted of alveolar macrophages suffered from more severe respiratory signs than infected control pigs. Induction of tumor necrosis factor alpha in the infected pigs depleted of alveolar macrophages was significantly lower than that in the lungs of infected control pigs, and the induction of interleukin-10, an immunosuppressive cytokine, significantly increased in the lungs of infected pigs depleted of alveolar macrophages compared to infected control pigs. When we measured antibody titers and CD8(+) T lymphocytes expressing gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), lower antibody titers and a lower percentage of CD8(+) T lymphocytes expressing IFN-gamma were detectable in MDPCL2-treated infected pigs than in phosphate-buffered saline- and liposome-treated and infected pigs. Taken together, our findings suggest that alveolar macrophages are essential for controlling H1N1 influenza viruses in pigs.
Kim
Heui Man
HM
Laboratory of Influenza Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, 220 Gung Dong, Yuseong Gu, Daejeon, 305-764, Korea.
Lee
Young-Won
YW
Lee
Ki-Ja
KJ
Kim
Hyun Soo
HS
Cho
Sung Whan
SW
van Rooijen
Nico
N
Guan
Yi
Y
Seo
Sang Heui
SH
D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004002:Clodronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000276:immunology; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D013552:Swine; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D004002:Clodronic Acid; D016753:Interleukin-10