| First Author | Jung YJ | Year | 2002 |
| Journal | J Exp Med | Volume | 196 |
| Issue | 7 | Pages | 991-8 |
| PubMed ID | 12370260 | Mgi Jnum | J:119257 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3701590 | Doi | 10.1084/jem.20021186 |
| Citation | Jung YJ, et al. (2002) Virulent but not avirulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis can evade the growth inhibitory action of a T helper 1-dependent, nitric oxide Synthase 2-independent defense in mice. J Exp Med 196(7):991-8 |
| abstractText | Control of infection with virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in mice is dependent on the generation of T helper (Th)1-mediated immunity that serves, via secretion of interferon (IFN)-gamma and other cytokines, to upregulate the antimycobacterial function of macrophages of which the synthesis of inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS)2 is an essential event. As a means to understanding the basis of Mtb virulence, the ability of gene-deleted mice incapable of making NOS2 (NOS2(-/-)), gp91(Phox) subunit of the respiratory burst NADPH-oxidase complex (Phox(-/-)), or either enzyme (NOS2/Phox(-/-)), to control airborne infection with the avirulent R1Rv and H37Ra strains of Mtb was compared with their ability control infection with the virulent H37Rv strain. NOS2(-/-), Phox(-/-), and NOS2/Phox(-/-) mice showed no deficiency in ability to control infection with either strain of avirulent Mtb. By contrast, NOS2(-/-) mice, but not Phox(-/-) mice, were incapable of controlling H37Rv infection and died early from neutrophil-dominated lung pathology. Control of infection with avirulent, as well as virulent Mtb, depended on the synthesis of IFN-gamma, and was associated with a substantial increase in the synthesis in the lungs of mRNA for IFN-gamma and NOS2, and with production of NOS2 by macrophages at sites of infection. The results indicate that virulent, but not avirulent, Mtb can overcome the growth inhibitory action of a Th1-dependent, NOS2-independent mechanism of defense. |
