Clearance of virulent but not avirulent Rhodococcus equi from the lungs of adult horses is associated with intracytoplasmic gamma interferon production by CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes.
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
The research presents a study about the effect of the virulent and avirulent strains of Rhodococcus equi, a bacteria causing pneumonia, on the immune response in adult horses. The study found that the clearance of the virulent strain is associated with an increase in certain immune cells producing gamma interferon.
Study Overview
The researchers’ primary aim was to understand how the virulent form of Rhodococcus equi, a bacterium causing rhodococcal pneumonia in horses and humans, evades the host’s immune responses and how the bacteria eventually gets cleared from the host’s system.
- The researchers embarked on this study with the bigger goal of aiding the development of an effective vaccine.
- Six adult horses were deliberately infected with either the virulent strain of R. equi or an avirulent form of the same bacterium, that had been cured of its virulence-conferring plasmid.
Methodology and Findings
Using a flow cytometric method, the researchers measured the intracytoplasmic production of a specific immune marker, gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), in the broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells of the horses.
- They observed that the clearance of the virulent strain of R. equi was associated with an increase in the number of two types of immune cell, CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes, producing IFN-gamma.
- This significant increase was only seen in the lungs and not in the peripheral blood, suggesting that a targeted immune response was activated at the site of infection.
- On the other hand, the avirulent strain of R. equi was cleared from the horses without a significant increase in T lymphocytes producing IFN-gamma in BALF.
Comparison to Previous Research
The researchers compared their findings to a previous study on foals, which suggested that the virulence factors encoded on R. equi’s plasmid could interfere with IFN-gamma expression in CD4(+) T lymphocytes, thus altering the immune response. The results of this current study suggest this phenomenon may be specifically applicable to neonates and could potentially explain their increased susceptibility to rhodococcal pneumonia.
Conclusion
The research concludes by endorsing further use of intracytoplasmic detection of IFN-gamma as a valuable method to better understand the effect of virulent strains of R. equi on the immune system’s response.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-7040, USA. shines@vetmed.wsu.edu
MeSH Terms
- Actinomycetales Infections / immunology
- Actinomycetales Infections / veterinary
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / cytology
- Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / immunology
- CD2 Antigens / metabolism
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / microbiology
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / microbiology
- Cytoplasm / immunology
- Cytoplasm / microbiology
- Flow Cytometry / methods
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis
- Plasmids
- Pneumonia / immunology
- Pneumonia / microbiology
- Pneumonia / veterinary
- Rhodococcus equi / genetics
- Rhodococcus equi / pathogenicity
- Virulence
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