| First Author | Wiersinga WJ | Year | 2007 |
| Journal | Infect Immun | Volume | 75 |
| Issue | 8 | Pages | 3739-46 |
| PubMed ID | 17517876 | Mgi Jnum | J:123375 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3718168 | Doi | 10.1128/IAI.00080-07 |
| Citation | Wiersinga WJ, et al. (2007) Endogenous interleukin-18 improves the early antimicrobial host response in severe melioidosis. Infect Immun 75(8):3739-46 |
| abstractText | Melioidosis is caused by the soil saprophyte Burkholderia pseudomallei and is endemic in Southeast Asia. The pathogenesis of melioidosis is still largely unknown, although gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) seems to play an obligatory role in host defense. Previously, we have shown that IFN-gamma production in melioidosis is controlled in part by interleukin-18 (IL-18). The aim of the present study was to determine the role of IL-18 in the immune response to B. pseudomallei. For this the following investigations were performed. (i) Plasma IL-18 and blood monocyte IL-18 mRNA levels were elevated in 34 patients with culture-proven melioidosis compared to the levels in 32 local healthy controls; in addition, IL-18 binding protein levels were markedly elevated in patients, strongly correlating with mortality. (ii) IL-18 gene-deficient (IL-18 knockout [KO]) mice showed accelerated mortality after intranasal infection with a lethal dose of B. pseudomallei, which was accompanied by enhanced bacterial growth in their lungs, livers, spleens, kidneys, and blood at 24 and 48 h postinfection, compared to wild-type mice. In addition, IL-18 KO mice displayed evidence of enhanced hepatocellular injury and renal insufficiency. Together, these data indicate that the enhanced production of IL-18 in melioidosis is an essential part of a protective immune response to this severe infection. |
