title: Antibacterial role for natural killer cells in host defense to Bacillus anthracis.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells have innate antibacterial activity that could be targeted for clinical interventions for infectious disease caused by naturally occurring or weaponized bacterial pathogens. To determine a potential role for NK cells in immunity to Bacillus anthracis, we utilized primary human and murine NK cells, in vitro assays, and in vivo NK cell depletion in a murine model of inhalational anthrax. Our results demonstrate potent antibacterial activity by human NK cells against B. anthracis bacilli within infected autologous monocytes. Surprisingly, NK cells also mediate moderate antibacterial effects on extracellular vegetative bacilli but do not have activity against extracellular or intracellular spores. The immunosuppressive anthrax lethal toxin impairs NK gamma interferon (IFN-γ) expression, but neither lethal nor edema toxin significantly alters the viability or cytotoxic effector function of NK cells. Compared to human NK cells, murine NK cells have a similar, though less potent, activity against intracellular and extracellular B. anthracis. The in vivo depletion of murine NK cells does not alter animal survival following intranasal infection with B. anthracis spores in our studies but significantly increases the bacterial load in the blood of infected animals. Our studies demonstrate that NK cells participate in the innate immune response against B. anthracis and suggest that immune modulation to augment NK cell function in early stages of anthrax should be further explored in animal models as a clinical intervention strategy.
authors: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
authors: Christine M
authors: CM
authors: Gonzales
authors: Courtney B
authors: CB
authors: Williams
authors: Veronica E
authors: VE
authors: Calderon
authors: Matthew B
authors: MB
authors: Huante
authors: Scott T
authors: ST
authors: Moen
authors: Vsevolod L
authors: VL
authors: Popov
authors: Wallace B
authors: WB
authors: Baze
authors: Johnny W
authors: JW
authors: Peterson
authors: Janice J
authors: JJ
authors: Endsley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000276:immunology*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000633:toxicity; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000276:immunology*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D047589:Leukocyte Reduction Procedures; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; C030325:anthrax toxin; D007371:Interferon-gamma