Adrenal steroids modulate the immune response during Brucella abortus infection by a mechanism that depends on the regulation of cytokine production.
Human brucellosis is a protean disease with a diversity of clinical signs and symptoms resulting from infection with Brucella species. Recent reports suggest a cross-regulation between adrenal steroids (cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA]) and the immune system. Monocytes and macrophages are the main replication niche for Brucella. Therefore, we investigated the role of adrenal hormones on the modulation of the immune response mediated by macrophages in B. abortus infection. Cortisol treatment during B. abortus infection significantly inhibits cytokine, chemokine, and MMP-9 secretion. In contrast, DHEA treatment had no effect. However, DHEA treatment increases the expression of costimulatory molecules (CD40, CD86), the adhesion molecule CD54, and major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) and MHC-II expression on the surface of B. abortus-infected monocytes. It is known that B. abortus infection inhibits MHC-I and MHC-II expression induced by gamma interferon (IFN-γ) treatment. DHEA reverses B. abortus downmodulation of the MHC-I and -II expression induced by IFN-γ. Taken together, our data indicate that DHEA immune intervention may positively affect monocyte activity during B. abortus infection.
Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo (INIGEM), Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín," Facultad de Medicina, CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
María Virginia
MV
Gentilini
Instituto de Medicina Experimental (IMEX), CONICET-Academia Nacional de Medicina, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Lis Noelia
LN
Velásquez
Instituto de Medicina Experimental (IMEX), CONICET-Academia Nacional de Medicina, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Paula
P
Barrionuevo
Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo (INIGEM), Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín," Facultad de Medicina, CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Paula Constanza
PC
Arriola Benitez
Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo (INIGEM), Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín," Facultad de Medicina, CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Guillermo Hernán
GH
Giambartolomei
Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo (INIGEM), Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín," Facultad de Medicina, CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina mdelpino@ffyb.uba.ar.
María Victoria
MV
Delpino
D000328:Adult; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000276:immunology*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
D016207:Cytokines; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone