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Home / Equine Research Bank / Infect Immun / Survival and replication of Rhodococcus equi in macrophages.
Infection and immunity1994; 62(10); 4167-4175; doi: 10.1128/iai.62.10.4167-4175.1994

Survival and replication of Rhodococcus equi in macrophages.

Abstract: Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular bacterium of macrophages that can cause serious pneumonia in both young horses and immunocompromised people. Essential to understanding rhodococcus pathogenesis is a quantitative documentation of the intracellular events that follow macrophage phagocytosis of the organism. By using a bacterial immunofluorescence staining assay, we verified the intracellular survival and replicative potential of R. equi in both murine peritoneal macrophages and equine alveolar macrophages in vitro. Following an initial lag period of 6 to 12 h, the intracellular numbers of R. equi begin to rise, often reaching macrophage-compromising levels by 48 h. A quantitative determination of bacterial growth by a novel image analysis cytometry technique confirmed our fluorescence microscopic results. By 48 h postinfection, bacterial numbers had increased by more than fivefold, and the majority of infected macrophages in the monolayer contained 10 or more bacteria per cell. The intracellular organisms were viable, as evidenced by the ability to incorporate radiolabeled uracil. The use of these techniques has identified differences in the in vitro replicative capacities of a virulent strain and an avirulent strain of R. equi. A clinical isolate of R. equi expressing a 17-kDa virulence-associated plasmid-encoded antigen was able to survive and replicate within macrophages, whereas an avirulent, non-plasmid-containing strain replicated poorly. These results suggest that plasmid-encoded bacterial virulence factors may contribute to the ability of R. equi to replicate within its host cell, the macrophage.
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Publication Date: 1994-10-01 PubMed ID: 7927672PubMed Central: PMC303092DOI: 10.1128/iai.62.10.4167-4175.1994Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support
  • U.S. Gov't
  • P.H.S.

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research study investigates how the Rhodococcus equi bacterium survives and reproduces inside macrophages, which could cause serious lung infections in young horses and individuals with compromised immune systems.

Objective of the Research

  • The central aim was to quantitatively document the intracellular events that occur after macrophages engulf this bacterium.

Methods and Procedures

  • The researchers utilized a bacterial immunofluorescence staining assay to confirm the intracellular existence and replicative capability of the R. equi in murine peritoneal macrophages and equine alveolar macrophages in a controlled lab environment.
  • A new image analysis cytometry technique was used to measure bacterial growth which validated the findings of the microscopic fluorescence study.

Initial Observations

  • The initial findings report a latency of 6 to 12 hours post phagocytosis, after which the numbers of R. equi increase, potentially compromising the macrophages by 48 hours.
  • After a 48 hour infection period, the number of bacteria in the macrophages increased by more than fivefold.

Virulence Factors and Replicative Capacity

  • The researchers found variations in the replicative capacities of different strains of R. equi.
  • The virulent strain expressing a 17-kDa plasmid-encoded antigen showed the ability to survive and replicate within macrophages, in contrast to an avirulent strain without a plasmid that replicated poorly.
  • The results indicated that plasmid-encoded bacterial virulence factors might assist R. equi in reproducing within its host cell, the macrophage.

Cite This Article

APA
Hondalus MK, Mosser DM. (1994). Survival and replication of Rhodococcus equi in macrophages. Infect Immun, 62(10), 4167-4175. https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.62.10.4167-4175.1994

Publication

Infection and immunity
ISSN: 0019-9567
NlmUniqueID: 0246127
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 62
Issue: 10
Pages: 4167-4175

Researcher Affiliations

Hondalus, M K
  • Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140.
Mosser, D M

    MeSH Terms

    • Animals
    • Cell Line
    • Female
    • Fluorescence
    • Horses
    • Macrophages / microbiology
    • Macrophages, Alveolar / microbiology
    • Mice
    • Mice, Inbred BALB C
    • Rabbits
    • Rhodococcus equi / growth & development

    Grant Funding

    • 5 K11 AI01001 / NIAID NIH HHS

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    Citations

    This article has been cited 62 times.
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