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Casanova JL, MacMicking JD, Nathan CF. Interferon- γ and infectious diseases: Lessons and prospects. Science 2024; 384:eadl2016. [PMID: 38635718 DOI: 10.1126/science.adl2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Infectious diseases continue to claim many lives. Prevention of morbidity and mortality from these diseases would benefit not just from new medicines and vaccines but also from a better understanding of what constitutes protective immunity. Among the major immune signals that mobilize host defense against infection is interferon-γ (IFN-γ), a protein secreted by lymphocytes. Forty years ago, IFN-γ was identified as a macrophage-activating factor, and, in recent years, there has been a resurgent interest in IFN-γ biology and its role in human defense. Here we assess the current understanding of IFN-γ, revisit its designation as an "interferon," and weigh its prospects as a therapeutic against globally pervasive microbial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Laurent Casanova
- St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, INSERM, Necker Hospital for Sick Children, 75015 Paris, France
- Imagine Institute, Paris Cité University, 75015 Paris, France
- Department of Pediatrics, Necker Hospital for Sick Children, 75015 Paris, France
| | - John D MacMicking
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Yale Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06477, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Carl F Nathan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
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2
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Adams LB. Susceptibility and resistance in leprosy: Studies in the mouse model. Immunol Rev 2021; 301:157-174. [PMID: 33660297 PMCID: PMC8252540 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infectious disease caused by the pathogen, Mycobacterium leprae, and the more recently discovered, M. lepromatosis. Described in 1873, M. leprae was among the first microorganisms to be proposed as a cause of a human infectious disease. As an obligate intracellular bacterium, it has still not thus far been reproducibly cultivated in axenic medium or cell cultures. Shepard's mouse footpad assay, therefore, was truly a breakthrough in leprosy research. The generation of immunosuppressed and genetically engineered mice, along with advances in molecular and cellular techniques, has since offered more tools for the study of the M. leprae–induced granuloma. While far from perfect, these new mouse models have provided insights into the immunoregulatory mechanisms responsible for the spectrum of this complex disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda B Adams
- Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Healthcare Systems Bureau, National Hansen's Disease Programs Laboratory Research Branch, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
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Duthie MS, Frevol A, Day T, Coler RN, Vergara J, Rolf T, Sagawa ZK, Marie Beckmann A, Casper C, Reed SG. A phase 1 antigen dose escalation trial to evaluate safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of the leprosy vaccine candidate LepVax (LEP-F1 + GLA–SE) in healthy adults. Vaccine 2020; 38:1700-1707. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.12.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Kubanov AA, Karamova AE, Vorontsova AA, Kalinina PA. Experimental models of leprosy. VESTNIK DERMATOLOGII I VENEROLOGII 2015. [DOI: 10.25208/0042-4609-2015-91-6-17-29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Leprosy (Hansen’s disease) is a chronic granulomatous bacterial disease which mainly affects skin and peripheral nervous system. Leprosy is caused by the obligate intercellular pathogen known as Mycobacterium leprae. Creating experimental models of leprosy is associated with serious problems due to biological characteristics of the pathogen. Numerous attempts to develop experimental models on different types of animals resulted in a few reproducible models on mice and nine-banded armadillos. Strains of knockout mice with genetic defects caused by site-directed mutagenesis are used as a basis for different leprosy models. Experimental models of leprosy are used for screening of anti-leprosy drugs, detection of drug resistance, studies on the pathogenesis of leprosy, production and evaluation of viability of M. leprae, developing of anti-leprosy vaccines.
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5
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Khadge S, Banu S, Bobosha K, van der Ploeg-van Schip JJ, Goulart IM, Thapa P, Kunwar CB, van Meijgaarden KE, van den Eeden SJF, Wilson L, Kabir S, Dey H, Goulart LR, Lobato J, Carvalho W, Bekele Y, Franken KLMC, Aseffa A, Spencer JS, Oskam L, Otttenhoff THM, Hagge DA, Geluk A. Longitudinal immune profiles in type 1 leprosy reactions in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia and Nepal. BMC Infect Dis 2015; 15:477. [PMID: 26510990 PMCID: PMC4625471 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-015-1128-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Acute inflammatory reactions are a frequently occurring, tissue destructing phenomenon in infectious- as well as autoimmune diseases, providing clinical challenges for early diagnosis. In leprosy, an infectious disease initiated by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae), these reactions represent the major cause of permanent neuropathy. However, laboratory tests for early diagnosis of reactional episodes which would significantly contribute to prevention of tissue damage are not yet available. Although classical diagnostics involve a variety of tests, current research utilizes limited approaches for biomarker identification. In this study, we therefore studied leprosy as a model to identify biomarkers specific for inflammatory reactional episodes. Methods To identify host biomarker profiles associated with early onset of type 1 leprosy reactions, prospective cohorts including leprosy patients with and without reactions were recruited in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia and Nepal. The presence of multiple cyto-/chemokines induced by M. leprae antigen stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well as the levels of antibodies directed against M. leprae-specific antigens in sera, were measured longitudinally in patients. Results At all sites, longitudinal analyses showed that IFN-γ-, IP-10-, IL-17- and VEGF-production by M. leprae (antigen)-stimulated PBMC peaked at diagnosis of type 1 reactions, compared to when reactions were absent. In contrast, IL-10 production decreased during type 1 reaction while increasing after treatment. Thus, ratios of these pro-inflammatory cytokines versus IL-10 provide useful tools for early diagnosing type 1 reactions and evaluating treatment. Of further importance for rapid diagnosis, circulating IP-10 in sera were significantly increased during type 1 reactions. On the other hand, humoral immunity, characterized by M. leprae-specific antibody detection, did not identify onset of type 1 reactions, but allowed treatment monitoring instead. Conclusions This study identifies immune-profiles as promising host biomarkers for detecting intra-individual changes during acute inflammation in leprosy, also providing an approach for other chronic (infectious) diseases to help early diagnose these episodes and contribute to timely treatment and prevention of tissue damage. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-015-1128-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saraswoti Khadge
- Mycobacterial Research Laboratories, Anandaban Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.
| | - Sayera Banu
- International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
| | - Kidist Bobosha
- Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. .,Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
| | | | - Isabela M Goulart
- National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Pratibha Thapa
- Mycobacterial Research Laboratories, Anandaban Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.
| | - Chhatra B Kunwar
- Mycobacterial Research Laboratories, Anandaban Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.
| | - Krista E van Meijgaarden
- Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Susan J F van den Eeden
- Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Louis Wilson
- International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
| | - Senjuti Kabir
- International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
| | - Hymonti Dey
- International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
| | - Luiz R Goulart
- National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Janaina Lobato
- National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Washington Carvalho
- National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Yonas Bekele
- Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
| | - Kees L M C Franken
- Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Abraham Aseffa
- Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
| | - John S Spencer
- Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.
| | - Linda Oskam
- National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Tom H M Otttenhoff
- Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Deanna A Hagge
- Mycobacterial Research Laboratories, Anandaban Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.
| | - Annemieke Geluk
- Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Moehle MS, Daher JPL, Hull TD, Boddu R, Abdelmotilib HA, Mobley J, Kannarkat GT, Tansey MG, West AB. The G2019S LRRK2 mutation increases myeloid cell chemotactic responses and enhances LRRK2 binding to actin-regulatory proteins. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:4250-67. [PMID: 25926623 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Leucine rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene is genetically and biochemically linked to several diseases that involve innate immunity. LRRK2 protein is highly expressed in phagocytic cells of the innate immune system, most notably in myeloid cells capable of mounting potent pro-inflammatory responses. Knockdown of LRRK2 protein in these cells reduces pro-inflammatory responses. However, the effect of LRRK2 pathogenic mutations that cause Parkinson's disease on myeloid cell function is not clear but could provide insight into LRRK2-linked disease. Here, we find that rats expressing G2019S LRRK2 have exaggerated pro-inflammatory responses and subsequent neurodegeneration after lipopolysaccharide injections in the substantia nigra, with a marked increase in the recruitment of CD68 myeloid cells to the site of injection. While G2019S LRRK2 expression did not affect immunological homeostasis, myeloid cells expressing G2019S LRRK2 show enhanced chemotaxis both in vitro in two-chamber assays and in vivo in response to thioglycollate injections in the peritoneum. The G2019S mutation enhanced the association between LRRK2 and actin-regulatory proteins that control chemotaxis. The interaction between G2019S LRRK2 and actin-regulatory proteins can be blocked by LRRK2 kinase inhibitors, although we did not find evidence that LRRK2 phosphorylated these interacting proteins. These results suggest that the primary mechanism of G2019S LRRK2 with respect to myeloid cell function in disease may be related to exaggerated chemotactic responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Moehle
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics
| | | | | | - Ravindra Boddu
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA and
| | | | | | - George T Kannarkat
- Department of Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Malú G Tansey
- Department of Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Andrew B West
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics,
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Silva LM, Hirai KE, de Sousa JR, de Souza J, Fuzii HT, Dias LB, Carneiro FRO, de Souza Aarão TL, Quaresma JAS. Immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of cellular transcription NFκB (p65), AP-1 (c-Fos and c-Jun), and JAK/STAT in leprosy. Hum Pathol 2015; 46:746-52. [PMID: 25771902 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2015.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2014] [Revised: 01/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Leprosy is a disease whose clinical spectrum depends on the cytokine patterns produced during the early stages of the immune response. The main objective of this study was to describe the activation pattern of cellular transcription factors and to correlate these factors with the clinical forms of leprosy. Skin samples were obtained from 16 patients with the tuberculoid (TT) form and 14 with the lepromatous (LL) form. The histologic sections were immunostained with anti-c-Fos and anti-c-Jun monoclonal antibodies for investigation of AP-1, anti-NFκB p65 for the study of NFκB, and anti-JAK2, STAT1, STAT3, and STAT4 for investigation of the JAK/STAT pathway. Cells expressing STAT1 were more frequent in the TT form than in LL lesions (P = .0096), in agreement with the protective immunity provided by IFN-γ. STAT4 was also more highly expressed in the TT form than in the LL form (P = .0098). This transcription factor is essential for the development of a Th1 response because it is associated with interleukin-12. NFκB (p65) and STAT4 expression in the TT form showed a strong and significant correlation (r = 0.7556 and P = .0007). A moderate and significant correlation was observed between JAK2 and STAT4 in the TT form (r = 0.6637 and P = .0051), with these factors responding to interleukin-12 in Th1 profiles. The results suggest that STAT1, JAK2, and NFκB, together with STAT4, contribute to the development of cell-mediated immunity, which is able to contain the proliferation of Mycobacterium leprae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Mota Silva
- Centro de Ciencias Biologicas e da Saude, Universidade do Estado do Para, Belem, Para, Brazil 66000-000
| | - Kelly Emi Hirai
- Centro de Ciencias Biologicas e da Saude, Universidade do Estado do Para, Belem, Para, Brazil 66000-000
| | | | - Juarez de Souza
- Centro de Ciencias Biologicas e da Saude, Universidade do Estado do Para, Belem, Para, Brazil 66000-000
| | - Hellen Thais Fuzii
- Nucleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Para, Belem, Para, Brazil 66000-000
| | - Leonidas Braga Dias
- Centro de Ciencias Biologicas e da Saude, Universidade do Estado do Para, Belem, Para, Brazil 66000-000
| | | | | | - Juarez Antonio Simões Quaresma
- Centro de Ciencias Biologicas e da Saude, Universidade do Estado do Para, Belem, Para, Brazil 66000-000; Nucleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Para, Belem, Para, Brazil 66000-000.
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IL-10 and NOS2 modulate antigen-specific reactivity and nerve infiltration by T cells in experimental leprosy. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e3149. [PMID: 25210773 PMCID: PMC4161319 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although immunopathology dictates clinical outcome in leprosy, the dynamics of early and chronic infection are poorly defined. In the tuberculoid region of the spectrum, Mycobacterium leprae growth is restricted yet a severe granulomatous lesion can occur. The evolution and maintenance of chronic inflammatory processes like those observed in the leprosy granuloma involve an ongoing network of communications via cytokines. IL-10 has immunosuppressive properties and IL-10 genetic variants have been associated with leprosy development and reactions. Methodology/Principal Findings The role of IL-10 in resistance and inflammation in leprosy was investigated using Mycobacterium leprae infection of mice deficient in IL-10 (IL-10−/−), as well as mice deficient in both inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2−/−) and IL-10 (10NOS2−/−). Although a lack of IL-10 did not affect M. leprae multiplication in the footpads (FP), inflammation increased from C57Bl/6 (B6)<IL-10−/−<NOS2−/−<10NOS2−/−. While IL-10−/− mice exhibited modest FP induration compared to B6, NOS2−/− and 10NOS2−/− mice developed markedly enlarged FP marking distinct phases: early (1 month), peak (3–4 months), and chronic (8 months). IFN-γ-producing CD4+CD44+ cells responding to M. leprae cell wall, membrane, and cytosol antigens and ML2028 (Ag85B) were significantly increased in the evolved granuloma in NOS2−/− FP compared to B6 and IL-10−/− during early and peak phases. In 10NOS2−/− FP, CD4+CD44+ and especially CD8+CD44+ responses were augmented even further to these antigens as well as to ML0380 (GroES), ML2038 (bacterioferritin), and ML1877 (EF-Tu). Moreover, fragmented nerves containing CD4+ cells were present in 10NOS2−/− FP. Conclusions/Significance The 10NOS2−/− strain offers insight on the regulation of granuloma formation and maintenance by immune modulators in the resistant forms of leprosy and presents a new model for investigating the pathogenesis of neurological involvement. Despite effective antimicrobial therapy, 30–50% of leprosy patients develop immunological complications called leprosy reactions before, during or even years after being cured. Leprosy reactions are a major risk for neuritis that leads to peripheral nerve damage, disfigurement and disability. Unfortunately, why and how leprosy reactions occur is not well understood. Based on the latest human genetic leprosy susceptibility research and mouse infection models, we generated a double knockout mouse strain (10NOS2−/−) which has deficiencies in two key immune factors, interleukin-10 (IL-10) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2). We investigated the dynamics of the immune response to Mycobacterium leprae infection and chronicled the types of immune cells recruited to the site of infection. 10NOS2−/− mice developed a substantial induration in response to infection, as well as an increased interferon-gamma response to components of the leprosy bacillus. Interestingly, these animals also exhibited CD4+ T cell infiltration into the nerves, a phenomenon which has not been previously reported in leprosy mouse models. This new model provides insight into potential mechanisms whereby immune modulators may regulate leprosy reactions and neuritis and could aid the development of tests for monitoring and treatment of leprosy patients.
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Adams LB, Pena MT, Sharma R, Hagge DA, Schurr E, Truman RW. Insights from animal models on the immunogenetics of leprosy: a review. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2013; 107 Suppl 1:197-208. [PMID: 23283472 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762012000900028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2012] [Accepted: 06/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A variety of host immunogenetic factors appear to influence both an individual's susceptibility to infection with Mycobacterium leprae and the pathologic course of the disease. Animal models can contribute to a better understanding of the role of immunogenetics in leprosy through comparative studies helping to confirm the significance of various identified traits and in deciphering the underlying mechanisms that may be involved in expression of different disease related phenotypes. Genetically engineered mice, with specific immune or biochemical pathway defects, are particularly useful for investigating granuloma formation and resistance to infection and are shedding new light on borderline areas of the leprosy spectrum which are clinically unstable and have a tendency toward immunological complications. Though armadillos are less developed in this regard, these animals are the only other natural hosts of M. leprae and they present a unique opportunity for comparative study of genetic markers and mechanisms associable with disease susceptibility or resistance, especially the neurological aspects of leprosy. In this paper, we review the recent contributions of genetically engineered mice and armadillos toward our understanding of the immunogenetics of leprosy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda B Adams
- Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Primary Health Care, National Hansen's Disease Programs, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
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10
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Duthie MS, Sampaio LH, Oliveira RM, Raman VS, O'Donnell J, Bailor HR, Ireton GC, Sousa ALM, Stefani MMA, Reed SG. Development and pre-clinical assessment of a 73 kD chimeric fusion protein as a defined sub-unit vaccine for leprosy. Vaccine 2012; 31:813-9. [PMID: 23228811 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.11.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2012] [Revised: 11/21/2012] [Accepted: 11/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Despite the advances toward the elimination of leprosy through widespread provision of multi-drug therapy to registered patients over the last 2 decades, new case detection rates have stabilized and leprosy remains endemic in a number of localized regions. A vaccine could overcome the inherent limitations of the drug treatment program by providing protection in individuals who are not already harboring the Mycobacterium leprae bacilli at the time of administration and effectively interrupt the transmission cycle over a wider timespan. In this report we present data validating the production of 73f, a chimeric fusion protein incorporating the M. leprae antigens ML2028, ML2346 and ML2044. The 73f protein was recognized by IgG in multibacillary (MB) leprosy patient sera and stimulated IFNγ production within whole blood assays of paucibacillary (PB) leprosy patient and healthy household contacts of MB patients (HHC). When formulated with a TLR4L-containing adjuvant (GLA-SE), 73f stimulated a strong and pluripotent Th1 response that inhibited M. leprae-induced inflammation in mice. We are using these data to develop new vaccine initiatives for the continued and long-term control of leprosy.
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The First Probable Case of Leprosy in Southeast Italy (13th-14th Centuries AD, Montecorvino, Puglia). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1155/2012/262790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In 2008, during an archaeological excavation on the medieval site of Montecorvino (Foggia, Puglia, Italy), ten individuals were found buried near the principal church. The tombs were dated to the 13th-14th centuries AD, except for one attributable to the 11th century AD. The individual from tomb MCV2 shows some bone changes in the rhinomaxillary area. The most probable diagnosis is that she suffered from a type of near-multibacillary leprosy. Although leprosy has been documented in Italy from the first millennium BC and well described in the first millennium AD, its presence seems to be confined to Northern and Central Italy. This is the first case of leprosy in southeastern Italy and the second in Southern Italy overall. At the moment, the interesting datum is that leprosy seems to appear in Southern Italy only after the first millennium AD. All this could be because of the First Crusade with the opening of new trade and pilgrimage routes to the Near East or simply because other cases of leprosy have still not been found in osteoarchaeological context.
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Liu PT, Wheelwright M, Teles R, Komisopoulou E, Edfeldt K, Ferguson B, Mehta MD, Vazirnia A, Rea TH, Sarno EN, Graeber TG, Modlin RL. MicroRNA-21 targets the vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial pathway in leprosy. Nat Med 2012; 18:267-73. [PMID: 22286305 PMCID: PMC3274599 DOI: 10.1038/nm.2584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2010] [Accepted: 10/26/2011] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Leprosy provides a model to investigate mechanisms of immune regulation in humans, given that the disease forms a clinical-immunological spectrum. Here, we identified 13 miRNAs that were differentially expressed in the lesions of subjects with progressive lepromatous (L-lep) vs. the self-limited tuberculoid (T-lep) disease. Bioinformatic analysis revealed a significant enrichment of L-lep-specific miRNAs that preferentially target key immune genes downregulated in L-lep vs. T-lep lesions. The most differentially expressed miRNA in L-lep lesions, hsa-mir-21, was upregulated in M. leprae-infected monocytes. Hsa-mir-21, by downregulating toll-like receptor 2/1 (TLR2/1)-induced CYP27B1 and IL1B as well as upregulating IL-10, inhibited gene expression of the vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial peptides, CAMP and DEFB4A. Conversely, knockdown of hsa-mir-21 in M. leprae-infected monocytes enhanced expression of CAMP and DEFB4A and restored TLR2/1-mediated antimicrobial activity against M. leprae. Therefore, the ability of M. leprae to upregulate hsa-mir-21 targets multiple genes associated with the immunologically localized disease form, providing an effective mechanism to escape from the vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip T Liu
- Orthopaedic Hospital Research Center, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
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Geluk A, van den Eeden SJF, Dijkman K, Wilson L, Kim HJ, Franken KLMC, Spencer JS, Pessolani MCV, Pereira GMB, Ottenhoff THM. ML1419c peptide immunization induces Mycobacterium leprae-specific HLA-A*0201-restricted CTL in vivo with potential to kill live mycobacteria. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2011; 187:1393-402. [PMID: 21705623 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1100980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
MHC class I-restricted CD8(+) T cells play an important role in protective immunity against mycobacteria. Previously, we showed that p113-121, derived from Mycobacterium leprae protein ML1419c, induced significant IFN-γ production by CD8(+) T cells in 90% of paucibacillary leprosy patients and in 80% of multibacillary patients' contacts, demonstrating induction of M. leprae-specific CD8(+) T cell immunity. In this work, we studied the in vivo role and functional profile of ML1419c p113-121-induced T cells in HLA-A*0201 transgenic mice. Immunization with 9mer or 30mer covering the p113-121 sequence combined with TLR9 agonist CpG induced HLA-A*0201-restricted, M. leprae-specific CD8(+) T cells as visualized by p113-121/HLA-A*0201 tetramers. Most CD8(+) T cells produced IFN-γ, but distinct IFN-γ(+)/TNF-α(+) populations were detected simultaneously with significant secretion of CXCL10/IFN-γ-induced protein 10, CXCL9/MIG, and VEGF. Strikingly, peptide immunization also induced high ML1419c-specific IgG levels, strongly suggesting that peptide-specific CD8(+) T cells provide help to B cells in vivo, as CD4(+) T cells were undetectable. An additional important characteristic of p113-121-specific CD8(+) T cells was their capacity for in vivo killing of p113-121-labeled, HLA-A*0201(+) splenocytes. The cytotoxic function of p113-121/HLA-A*0201-specific CD8(+) T cells extended into direct killing of splenocytes infected with live Mycobacterium smegmatis expressing ML1419c: both 9mer and 30mer induced CD8(+) T cells that reduced the number of ML1419c-expressing mycobacteria by 95%, whereas no reduction occurred using wild-type M. smegmatis. These data, combined with previous observations in Brazilian cohorts, show that ML1419c p113-121 induces potent CD8(+) T cells that provide protective immunity against M. leprae and B cell help for induction of specific IgG, suggesting its potential use in diagnostics and as a subunit (vaccine) for M. leprae infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annemieke Geluk
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands.
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14
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Cellular response to mycobacteria: balancing protection and pathology. Trends Immunol 2011; 32:66-72. [PMID: 21216195 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2010.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2010] [Revised: 12/03/2010] [Accepted: 12/06/2010] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
There has been a recent increase in our understanding of T cell responses during mycobacterial infection; however, we have not yet identified the protective mechanisms capable of mediating vaccine-induced protection in the lung. Novel approaches have allowed the determination of the kinetics and location of naïve T cell activation, as well as the factors that affect of antigen-specific T cell responses, and the balance between protective and immunopathological consequences during the chronic stages of infection. With an urgent need for new and more efficient vaccination strategies, the integration of these data will result in improved vaccine strategies.
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15
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Vaccination with the ML0276 antigen reduces local inflammation but not bacterial burden during experimental Mycobacterium leprae infection. Infect Immun 2009; 77:5623-30. [PMID: 19786561 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00508-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Leprosy elimination has been a goal of the WHO for the past 15 years. Widespread BCG vaccination and multidrug therapy have dramatically reduced worldwide leprosy prevalence, but new case detection rates have remained relatively constant. These data suggest that additional control strategies, such as a subunit vaccine, are required to block transmission and to improve leprosy control. We recently identified several Mycobacterium leprae antigens that stimulate gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) secretion upon incubation with blood from paucibacillary leprosy patients, a group who limit M. leprae growth and dissemination. In this study, we demonstrate that M. leprae-specific mouse T-cell lines recognize several of these antigens, with the ML0276 protein stimulating the most IFN-gamma secretion. We then examined if the ML0276 protein could be used in a subunit vaccine to provide protection against experimental M. leprae infection. Our data demonstrate that combining ML0276 with either a Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) (EM005), TLR7 (imiquimod), or TLR9 (CpG DNA) agonist during immunization induces Th1 responses that limit local inflammation upon experimental M. leprae infection. Our data indicate that only the ML0276/EM005 regimen is able to elicit a response that is transferable to recipient mice. Despite the potent Th1 response induced by this regimen, it could not provide protection in terms of limiting bacterial growth. We conclude that EM005 is the most potent adjuvant for stimulating a Th1 response and indicate that while a subunit vaccine containing the ML0276 protein may be useful for the prevention of immune pathology during leprosy, it will not control bacterial burden and is therefore unlikely to interrupt disease transmission.
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16
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Hagge DA, Saunders BM, Ebenezer GJ, Ray NA, Marks VT, Britton WJ, Krahenbuhl JL, Adams LB. Lymphotoxin-alpha and TNF have essential but independent roles in the evolution of the granulomatous response in experimental leprosy. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2009; 174:1379-89. [PMID: 19246648 DOI: 10.2353/ajpath.2009.080550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies identified an association between genetic variants in the lymphotoxin-alpha (LTalpha) gene and leprosy. To study the influence of LTalpha on the control of experimental leprosy, both low- and high-dose Mycobacterium leprae foot pad (FP) infections were evaluated in LTalpha-deficient chimeric (cLTalpha(-/-)) and control chimeric (cB6) mice. Cellular responses to low-dose infection in cLTalpha(-/-) mice were dramatically different, with reduced accumulation of CD4(+) and CD8(+) lymphocytes and macrophages and failure to form granulomas. Growth of M. leprae was contained for 6 months, but augmented late in infection. In contrast, tumor necrosis factor knockout and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 knockout FPs exhibited extensive inflammatory infiltration with an increase in M. leprae growth throughout infection. Following high-dose infection, cB6 FP induration peaked at 4 weeks and was maintained for 12 weeks. Induration was not sustained in cLTalpha(-/-) FPs that contained few lymphocytes and no granulomas. There was a reduction in the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and chemokine receptors, including nitric oxide synthase 2, vascular cell adhesion molecule, and intercellular cell adhesion molecule. Furthermore, cLTalpha(-/-) popliteal lymph nodes contained a higher proportion of naïve CD44(lo)CD62L(hi) T cells than cB6 mice, suggestive of reduced T cell activation. Therefore, both LTalpha and tumor necrosis factor are essential for the regulation of the granuloma, but they have distinctive roles in the recruitment of lymphocytes and maintenance of the granulomatous response during chronic M. leprae infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deanna A Hagge
- DHHS, HRSA, Bureau of Primary Health Care, National Hansen's Disease Programs Laboratory Research Branch at LSU-SVM, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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17
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Cooper AM, Khader SA. The role of cytokines in the initiation, expansion, and control of cellular immunity to tuberculosis. Immunol Rev 2009; 226:191-204. [PMID: 19161425 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-065x.2008.00702.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 250] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) results from an interaction between a potent immune response and a chronically persistent pathogen. The ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) to induce a strong immune response while being able to resist the ability of the host to clear bacteria provides an excellent tool with which to investigate the role of specific cytokine pathways on the induction, expansion, and control of the effector T-cell response. In this review, the role of interleukin-12p40 (IL-12p40), IL-12p70, IL-23, and IL-27 in the immune response to Mtb are described. We show that IL-12(p40)(2) acts to mediate the activation of dendritic cells to become responsive to homeostatic chemokines. We also show that IL-12p70 is required for the optimal interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) T-cell response, which is required for control of Mtb growth. IL-23 can induce IFN-gamma responses in the lung if IL-12 is not present, but its major role is in supporting the IL-17 response within the lung. Neither IL-23 nor IL-17 is required for early control of Mtb in the lung. IL-23 and IL-17, however, can be instrumental in vaccine-induced protection. Finally, IL-27 limits protective immunity in the lung, but it is also required for long-term survival. These cytokines are therefore key players in the immune response to TB.
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18
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Fricker B, Muller A, René F. Evaluation Tools and Animal Models of Peripheral Neuropathies. NEURODEGENER DIS 2008; 5:72-108. [DOI: 10.1159/000112835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2007] [Accepted: 07/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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19
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Duthie MS, Reece ST, Lahiri R, Goto W, Raman VS, Kaplan J, Ireton GC, Bertholet S, Gillis TP, Krahenbuhl JL, Reed SG. Antigen-specific cellular and humoral responses are induced by intradermal Mycobacterium leprae infection of the mouse ear. Infect Immun 2007; 75:5290-7. [PMID: 17724073 PMCID: PMC2168264 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00564-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Leprosy is caused by infection with Mycobacterium leprae. The immune response of leprosy patients can be highly diverse, ranging from strong cellular responses accompanied by an apparent deficit of M. leprae-specific antibodies to strong humoral responses with a deficit of cell-mediated responses. Leprosy takes many years to manifest, and this has precluded analyses of disease and immune response development in infected humans. In an attempt to better define development of the immune response during leprosy we have developed an M. leprae ear infection model. Intradermal inoculation of M. leprae into the ear supported not only infection but also the development of a chronic inflammatory response. The inflammatory response was localized, comprising a T-cell infiltration into the ear and congestion of cells in the draining lymph nodes. The development of local chronic inflammation was prevented by rifampin treatment. Importantly, and in contrast to subcutaneous M. leprae footpad infection, systemic M. leprae-specific gamma interferon and antibody responses were detected following intradermal ear infection. These results indicate the utility of intradermal ear infection for both induction and understanding of the immune response during M. leprae infection and the identification or testing of new leprosy treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malcolm S Duthie
- Infectious Disease Research Institute, Suite 400, 1124 Columbia St., Seattle, WA 98104, USA.
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20
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Hagge DA, Marks VT, Ray NA, Dietrich MA, Kearney MT, Scollard DM, Krahenbuhl JL, Adams LB. Emergence of an effective adaptive cell mediated immune response to Mycobacterium leprae is not impaired in reactive oxygen intermediate-deficient mice. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 51:92-101. [PMID: 17645529 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2007.00282.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cytokine-activated macrophages (MPhi) employ reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) and reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNI) to combat pathogens. The requirement for ROI for an effective host response to experimental leprosy using mice which have a disruption in the 91-kD subunit of the NAPDH oxidase cytochrome b (phox91-/-) was examined. Mycobacterium leprae multiplication in phox91-/- foot pads (FP) was elevated early in infection but subsequently arrested similarly to control mice within a noninvasive granuloma. Using a modified lepromin test model, a similar cellular composition in the M. leprae-induced FP granuloma in both strains with lymphocyte infiltration consisting primarily of CD4+CD44(hi)CD62L(lo) effector cells was found. Of great interest was the disparity in the T cell population between the granuloma and the draining lymph node which contained predominantly naïve CD4+CD44(lo)CD62L(hi) cells and was, therefore, not representative of the infection site. TH1 cytokines, chemokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase were comparably expressed in the FP of both strains. When infected in vitro, normal MPhi from B6 and phox91-/- mice supported bacterial viability, whereas IFNgamma-activated MPhi killed M. leprae in a RNI-dependent manner, emphasizing that ROI was dispensable. These data show that phox91-/- mice generate a strong adaptive immune response and control long-term infection with M. leprae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deanna A Hagge
- Immunology Research Department, National Hansen's Disease Programs, Laboratory Research Branch, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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21
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Moura DF, Teles RMB, Ribeiro-Carvalho MM, Teles RB, Santos IMCF, Ferreira H, Fulco TO, Nery JAC, Sampaio EP, Sarno EN. Long-term culture of multibacillary leprosy macrophages isolated from skin lesions: a new model to study Mycobacterium leprae-human cell interaction. Br J Dermatol 2007; 157:273-83. [PMID: 17553031 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2007.07992.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leprosy is characterized by a disease spectrum having two polar clinical forms dependent on the presence or not of cell-mediated immunity. In the tuberculoid forms, granuloma-activated macrophages kill Mycobacterium leprae in conjunction with a Th1 response while, in multibacillary (MB) lesions, M. leprae nonactivated macrophages infiltrate the nerves and internal organs together with a Th2 response. The functional properties and activation pathways of macrophages isolated from patients with MB leprosy remain only partially understood. OBJECTIVES To establish an ex vivo methodology capable of evaluating the activation pathways, grade and fate of cultured macrophages isolated from MB lesions. METHODS Skin biopsies from patients with borderline tuberculoid, bordeline lepromatous and lepromatous leprosy (LL) were characterized by immunohistochemistry and transcriptional analysis. To isolate inflammatory cells, a portion of the samples was submitted to enzymatic digestion. These same cells, maintained in culture for a minimum 7-day period, were characterized morphologically and via flow cytometry at different culture time points. Cytokine [interferon (IFN)-gamma, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-10] mRNA levels were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and protein secretion in the culture supernatants was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the nitric oxide levels by Griess reagent. RESULTS RNA expression in tuberculoid and MB lesions showed the profile expected of characteristic Th1 and Th2 responses, respectively. The inflammatory cells in all biopsies were successfully isolated. Although the number of cells varied between biopsies, it was highest in LL biopsies. The frequency of isolated CD14+ and CD3+ cells measured by flow cytometry correlated with the percentages of macrophages and lymphocytes in the lesions. Throughout the culture period, CD68+ macrophages showed morphological changes. A progressive increase in cell number and reduction of infected cells were perceptible in the cultures. In contrast to the biopsies, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-10 expression in the tuberculoid and MB leprosy cells in 24-h culture and the cytokine levels in the supernatants did not differ significantly. During the culture period, cytokine expression in the MB cells progressively declined, whereas, from days 1 to 7, nitrite levels progressively increased. After day 40, the remaining macrophages were able to ingest fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled M. leprae. These data need to be confirmed. CONCLUSIONS This study confirmed the feasibility of obtaining ex vivo macrophages from leprosy lesions and keeping them in long-term culture. This procedure may open new pathways to studying the interaction between M. leprae and human macrophages, which might, in turn, lead to the development of therapeutic tools capable of overcoming the specific anergy found in patients with MB leprosy.
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Affiliation(s)
- D F Moura
- Leprosy Laboratory, Department of Mycobacteriosis, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos 21040-360, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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22
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van der Wel N, Hava D, Houben D, Fluitsma D, van Zon M, Pierson J, Brenner M, Peters PJ. M. tuberculosis and M. leprae Translocate from the Phagolysosome to the Cytosol in Myeloid Cells. Cell 2007; 129:1287-98. [PMID: 17604718 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2007.05.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 701] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2006] [Revised: 10/18/2006] [Accepted: 05/09/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
M. tuberculosis and M. leprae are considered to be prototypical intracellular pathogens that have evolved strategies to enable growth in the intracellular phagosomes. In contrast, we show that lysosomes rapidly fuse with the virulent M. tuberculosis- and M. leprae-containing phagosomes of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells and macrophages. After 2 days, M. tuberculosis progressively translocates from phagolysosomes into the cytosol in nonapoptotic cells. Cytosolic entry is also observed for M. leprae but not for vaccine strains such as M. bovis BCG or in heat-killed mycobacteria and is dependent upon secretion of the mycobacterial gene products CFP-10 and ESAT-6. The cytosolic bacterial localization and replication are pathogenic features of virulent mycobacteria, causing significant cell death within a week. This may also reveal a mechanism for MHC-based antigen presentation that is lacking in current vaccine strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole van der Wel
- The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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23
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Scollard DM, Adams LB, Gillis TP, Krahenbuhl JL, Truman RW, Williams DL. The continuing challenges of leprosy. Clin Microbiol Rev 2006; 19:338-81. [PMID: 16614253 PMCID: PMC1471987 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.19.2.338-381.2006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 498] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Leprosy is best understood as two conjoined diseases. The first is a chronic mycobacterial infection that elicits an extraordinary range of cellular immune responses in humans. The second is a peripheral neuropathy that is initiated by the infection and the accompanying immunological events. The infection is curable but not preventable, and leprosy remains a major global health problem, especially in the developing world, publicity to the contrary notwithstanding. Mycobacterium leprae remains noncultivable, and for over a century leprosy has presented major challenges in the fields of microbiology, pathology, immunology, and genetics; it continues to do so today. This review focuses on recent advances in our understanding of M. leprae and the host response to it, especially concerning molecular identification of M. leprae, knowledge of its genome, transcriptome, and proteome, its mechanisms of microbial resistance, and recognition of strains by variable-number tandem repeat analysis. Advances in experimental models include studies in gene knockout mice and the development of molecular techniques to explore the armadillo model. In clinical studies, notable progress has been made concerning the immunology and immunopathology of leprosy, the genetics of human resistance, mechanisms of nerve injury, and chemotherapy. In nearly all of these areas, however, leprosy remains poorly understood compared to other major bacterial diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- D M Scollard
- Laboratory Research Branch, National Hansen's Disease Programs, LSU-SVM, Skip Bertman Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
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24
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Lahiri R, Randhawa B, Krahenbuhl J. Application of a viability-staining method for Mycobacterium leprae derived from the athymic (nu/nu) mouse foot pad. J Med Microbiol 2005; 54:235-242. [PMID: 15713606 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.45700-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium leprae cannot be cultured, so ascertaining viability of the organism remains a major obstacle, impeding many avenues of investigation. This study tested a two-colour, Syto9 and propidium iodide, fluorescence assay, which scores for membrane damage in individual bacilli, to determine if a rapid direct-count viability-staining technique can be reliably applied to M. leprae. A variety of experimental conditions were employed to validate this technique. This technique was also used to correlate the viability of M. leprae with the course of athymic mouse foot pad infection to optimize the provision of viable M. leprae as a research reagent. The data show that in untreated suspensions of M. leprae there is a good correlation between the metabolic activity of leprosy bacilli and their membrane damage. Fixation of M. leprae with ethanol, paraformaldehyde and gluteraldehyde completely suppressed their metabolic activity but showed little effect on their membrane integrity. The present study also showed that the metabolic activity of M. leprae declines more than the extent of membrane damage at 37 degrees C within 72 h, but that they are not significantly affected at 33 degrees C. Irradiation at 10(4) Gy showed high numbers of dead bacilli by the staining method. The results show that the reliability of metabolic-activity data as well as viability-staining data is dependent on the method by which M. leprae is killed. This staining method helped us predict reliably that the smaller M. leprae-infected athymic mouse foot pad seen early in infection, between 4 and 5 months, yields markedly better quality leprosy bacilli than older, larger foot pad infections, as defined by their metabolic activity and membrane integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramanuj Lahiri
- Laboratory Research Branch, National Hansen's Disease Programs, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Baljit Randhawa
- Laboratory Research Branch, National Hansen's Disease Programs, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - James Krahenbuhl
- Laboratory Research Branch, National Hansen's Disease Programs, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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Pearl JE, Khader SA, Solache A, Gilmartin L, Ghilardi N, deSauvage F, Cooper AM. IL-27 signaling compromises control of bacterial growth in mycobacteria-infected mice. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2005; 173:7490-6. [PMID: 15585875 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.173.12.7490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Resistance to tuberculosis (TB) is dependent on the induction of Ag-specific CD4 Th1 T cells capable of expressing IFN-gamma. Generation of these T cells is dependent upon IL-12p70, yet other cytokines have also been implicated in this process. One such cytokine, IL-27, augments differentiation of naive T cells toward an IFN-gamma-producing phenotype by up-regulating the transcription factor T-bet and promoting expression of the IL-12Rbeta2 chain allowing T cells to respond to IL-12p70. We show that the components of IL-27 are induced during TB and that the absence of IL-27 signaling results in an altered disease profile. In the absence of the IL-27R, there is reduced bacterial burden and an increased lymphocytic character to the TB granuloma. Although the number of Ag-specific CD4 IFN-gamma-producing cells is unaffected by the absence of the IL-27R, there is a significant decrease in the level of mRNA for IFN-gamma and T-bet within the lungs of infected IL-27R(-/-) mice. Ag-specific CD4 T cells in the lungs of IL-27R(-/-) also produce less IFN-gamma protein per cell. The data show that expression of IL-27 during TB is detrimental to the control of bacteria and that although it does not affect the number of cells capable of producing IFN-gamma it does reduce the ability of CD4 T cells to produce large amounts of IFN-gamma. Because IFN-gamma is detrimental to the survival of effector T cells, we hypothesize that the reduced IFN-gamma within the IL-27R(-/-) lung is responsible for the increased accumulation of lymphocytes within the mycobacterial granuloma.
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MESH Headings
- Aerosols
- Animals
- Cell Movement/genetics
- Cell Movement/immunology
- Cells, Cultured
- Dimerization
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/immunology
- Female
- Glycoproteins/biosynthesis
- Granuloma/genetics
- Granuloma/immunology
- Granuloma/pathology
- Interferon-gamma/antagonists & inhibitors
- Interferon-gamma/biosynthesis
- Interferon-gamma/genetics
- Interleukins/biosynthesis
- Interleukins/deficiency
- Interleukins/genetics
- Interleukins/physiology
- Lymphocyte Count
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Minor Histocompatibility Antigens
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis/growth & development
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis/immunology
- Protein Subunits/biosynthesis
- Protein Subunits/deficiency
- Protein Subunits/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptors, Cytokine/biosynthesis
- Receptors, Cytokine/deficiency
- Receptors, Cytokine/genetics
- Receptors, Cytokine/physiology
- Receptors, Interleukin
- Signal Transduction/genetics
- Signal Transduction/immunology
- Th1 Cells/immunology
- Th1 Cells/metabolism
- Th1 Cells/pathology
- Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/genetics
- Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/immunology
- Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/microbiology
- Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/prevention & control
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Affiliation(s)
- John E Pearl
- Trudeau Institute, Inc., Saranac Lake, NY 12983, USA
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26
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Hagge DA, Ray NA, Krahenbuhl JL, Adams LB. An in vitro model for the lepromatous leprosy granuloma: fate of Mycobacterium leprae from target macrophages after interaction with normal and activated effector macrophages. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2004; 172:7771-9. [PMID: 15187161 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.172.12.7771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The lepromatous leprosy granuloma is a dynamic entity requiring a steady influx of macrophages (Mphi) for its maintenance. We have developed an in vitro model to study the fate of Mycobacterium leprae in a LL lesion, with and without immunotherapeutic intervention. Target cells, consisting of granuloma Mphi harvested from the footpads of M. leprae-infected athymic nu/nu mice, were cocultured with normal or IFN-gamma-activated (ACT) effector Mphi. The bacilli were recovered and assessed for viability by radiorespirometry. M. leprae recovered from target Mphi possessed high metabolic activity, indicating a viable state in this uncultivable organism. M. leprae recovered from target Mphi incubated with normal effector Mphi exhibited significantly higher metabolism. In contrast, bacilli recovered from target Mphi cocultured with ACT effector Mphi displayed a markedly decreased metabolic activity. Inhibition by ACT Mphi required an E:T ratio of at least 5:1, a coculture incubation period of 3-5 days, and the production of reactive nitrogen intermediates, but not reactive oxygen intermediates. Neither IFN-gamma nor TNF-alpha were required during the cocultivation period. However, cell-to-cell contact between the target and effector Mphi was necessary for augmentation of M. leprae metabolism by normal effector Mphi as well as for inhibition of M. leprae by ACT effector Mphi. Conventional fluorescence microscopy and confocal fluorescence microscopy revealed that the bacilli from the target Mphi were acquired by the effector Mphi. Thus, the state of Mphi infiltrating the granuloma may markedly affect the viability of M. leprae residing in Mphi in the lepromatous lesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deanna A Hagge
- National Hansen's Disease Programs, Laboratory Research Branch, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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27
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Ruan S, Tate C, Lee JJ, Ritter T, Kolls JK, Shellito JE. Local delivery of the viral interleukin-10 gene suppresses tissue inflammation in murine Pneumocystis carinii infection. Infect Immun 2002; 70:6107-13. [PMID: 12379687 PMCID: PMC130425 DOI: 10.1128/iai.70.11.6107-6113.2002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship between tissue inflammation and clearance of the opportunistic pathogen Pneumocystis carinii is poorly understood. We asked whether the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) is released during the host response to infection with P. carinii and whether local delivery of the IL-10 gene could suppress tissue inflammatory responses without compromising clearance of infection. Control and CD4-depleted mice were inoculated with P. carinii, and at serial intervals after inoculation, lung tissue was assayed for IL-10 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We found that IL-10 was released in lung tissue in control mice and was present in higher concentrations in CD4-depleted mice with progressive infection. Control and CD4-depleted mice were then pretreated with 10(9) PFU of intratracheally administered adenoviral vector containing the viral IL-10 gene or the luciferase gene followed by inoculation with P. carinii. Pretreatment with viral IL-10 did not alter clearance of infection in control mice or severity of infection in CD4-depleted mice but did decrease tissue inflammation. We then asked whether gene transfer of viral IL-10 could decrease tissue inflammation during immune reconstitution. In these experiments, immunodeficient scid mice were inoculated with P. carinii and were heavily infected after 4 weeks. When these mice are immunologically reconstituted by intravenous administration of spleen cells from normal mice, a hyperinflammatory reaction developed in lung tissue, associated with high mortality. In comparison to control mice, mice treated with viral IL-10 prior to reconstitution showed significantly decreased lung wet weight, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) lactate dehydrogenase, and BALF neutrophils. In contrast, infection intensity, as measured by PCR for P. carinii rRNA, was unchanged between the IL-10 and luciferase groups. Survival was also improved in the IL-10-treated mice. We conclude that release of IL-10 is part of the host response to infection with P. carinii and that gene therapy with viral IL-10 can lessen excessive tissue inflammation without altering pathogen clearance. In the setting of immune reconstitution and P. carinii pneumonia, pretreatment with the viral IL-10 gene decreases excessive tissue inflammation and improves survival. These results are relevant to acute respiratory failure after initiation of antibiotic treatment for human P. carinii pneumonia and to immune reconstitution syndromes in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients started on highly active antiretroviral therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanbao Ruan
- Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Center for Lung Biology and Immunotherapy, Alcohol Research Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA
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Cooper AM, Adams LB, Dalton DK, Appelberg R, Ehlers S. IFN-gamma and NO in mycobacterial disease: new jobs for old hands. Trends Microbiol 2002; 10:221-6. [PMID: 11973155 DOI: 10.1016/s0966-842x(02)02344-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Granulomatous disease following exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium avium is correlated with strong inflammatory and protective responses. The mouse model of mycobacterial infection provides an excellent tool with which to examine the inter-relationship between protective cell-mediated immunity and tissue-damaging hypersensitivity. It is well established that T cells and interferon (IFN)-gamma are necessary components of anti-bacterial protection. We propose that IFN-gamma also modulates the local cellular response by downregulating lymphocyte activation and by driving T cells into apoptosis, and that the events that limit excessive inflammation are largely mediated by IFN-gamma-induced nitric oxide (NO). In several murine models of mycobacterial infection, the absence of IFN-gamma and/or NO results in dysregulated granuloma formation and increased lymphocytic responses, which, in the case of M. avium infection, even leads to reduced bacterial growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M Cooper
- The Trudeau Institute, PO Box 59, 100 Algonquin Ave, Saranac Lake, NY 12983, USA.
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