Detrimental Influence of Alveolar Macrophages on Protective Humoral Immunity during Francisella tularensis SchuS4 Pulmonary Infection.

ABSTRACT: Opsonizing antibody is a critical component of the host protective immune response against many respiratory pathogens. However, the role of antibodies in protection against pulmonary infection with highly virulent Francisella tularensis strain SchuS4 is unclear, and the mechanism that allows F. tularensis to evade antibody-mediated bacterial clearance is not fully understood. We have now found that depletion of alveolar macrophages reveals an otherwise cryptic protective effect of opsonizing antibody. While antibody opsonization alone failed to confer any survival benefit against SchuS4 lung infection, significant protection was observed when mice were depleted of alveolar macrophages prior to infection. Blood immune signature analyses and bacterial burden measurements indicated that the t

SUBMITTER: Steiner DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5865038 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature