Article abstract
Nature Medicine 14, 558 - 564 (2008)
Published online: 27 April 2008 | doi:10.1038/nm1765
Inhibition of pulmonary antibacterial defense by interferon-
during recovery from influenza infection
Abstract
Secondary bacterial infection often occurs after pulmonary virus infection and is a common cause of severe disease in humans, yet the mechanisms responsible for this viral-bacterial synergy in the lung are only poorly understood. We now report that pulmonary interferon-
(IFN-) produced during T cell responses to influenza infection in mice inhibits initial bacterial clearance from the lung by alveolar macrophages. This suppression of phagocytosis correlates with lung IFN- abundance, but not viral burden, and leads to enhanced susceptibility to secondary pneumococcal infection, which can be prevented by IFN- neutralization after influenza infection. Direct inoculation of IFN- can mimic influenza infection and downregulate the expression of the class A scavenger receptor MARCO on alveolar macrophages. Thus, IFN-, although probably facilitating induction of specific anti-influenza adaptive immunity, suppresses innate protection against extracellular bacterial pathogens in the lung.
- Center for Immunology & Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, New York 12208, USA.
Correspondence to: Dennis W Metzger1 e-mail: metzged@mail.amc.edu
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Research HighlightsNature Immunology News and Views (01 Jun 2008)
How neutrophils recognize bacteria and move toward infectionNature Medicine News and Views (01 Nov 2001)
See all 4 matches for News And ViewsRESEARCH
Circumventing tolerance to a human MDM2-derived tumor antigen by TCR gene transferNature Immunology Article (01 Oct 2001)
CD1d-dependent macrophage-mediated clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from lungNature Medicine Article (01 Jun 2002)
See all 47 matches for Research
