Apoptosis and oxidative burst in neutrophils infected with Mycobacterium spp.
Two of the better characterized antimicrobial mechanisms displayed by human neutrophils are the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the induction of apoptosis. Their importance in mycobacterial infections is, however, controversial and we aimed to analyze them simultaneously in neutrophils infected with either Mycobacterium tuberculosis or the non-pathogenic M. gordonae. Neither species is eliminated by neutrophils but the pattern exhibited for both activities is completely different. M. tuberculosis induces ROS production and apoptosis but M. gordonae does not. Additional evidence was provided by an attenuated strain of M. gordonae that, although it has become susceptible to the antimicrobial activity of neutrophils, it still does not promote ROS production or apoptosis. Therefore no relationship could be established between any of these activities and the ability of neutrophils to kill mycobacteria. We have also observed that neutrophil concentration, a variable that is important in the antimicrobial activity against other pathogens, has no influence in the mycobacterial intracellular growth.
González-Cortés
Carolina
C
Unidad de Investigación, Hospital de León, Spain.
Reyes-Ruvalcaba
David
D
Diez-Tascón
Cristina
C
Rivero-Lezcano
Octavio M
OM
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017209:Apoptosis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000502:physiology*; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000502:physiology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D016897:Respiratory Burst; D013045:Species Specificity
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D019255:NADPH Oxidases