Lethal pulmonary infection with Francisella novicida causes depletion of alphabeta T cells from lungs.
Respiratory Francisella infections induce a delayed innate immune response followed by a severe sepsis like condition. In this study, mice infected intranasally with Francisella novicida showed a depletion of alphabeta T cells in lungs while exhibiting large accumulations of other leukocytes correlating with disease severity. The depleted T cells were predominantly CD4(+). The alphabeta T cells in infected mice showed significantly higher levels of Annexin V binding than those in mock control mice suggesting increased apoptosis of T cells. These results suggest that lack of transition from an innate to adaptive host response is associated with lethality of respiratory tularemia.
Sharma
Jyotika
J
Department of Biology, South Texas Center for Emerging Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249-1644, USA.
Li
Qun
Q
Mishra
Bibhuti B
BB
Teale
Judy M
JM
D000818:Animals; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005603:Francisella / Q000276:immunology*; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014406:Tularemia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
D017304:Annexin A5; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta