Affiliation:
1. School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health The University of Sydney Camperdown NSW Australia
2. Tuberculosis Research Program Centenary Institute Sydney NSW Australia
3. Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases and the Charles Perkins Centre The University of Sydney Camperdown NSW Australia
Abstract
AbstractMycobacterium abscessus is an emerging pathogen that causes chronic pulmonary infection. Treatment is challenging owing in part to our incomplete understanding of M. abscessus virulence mechanisms that enable pathogen persistence, such as the differing pathogenicity of M. abscessus smooth (S) and rough (R) colony morphotype. While R M. abscessus is associated with chronic infection and worse patient outcomes, it is unknown how immune responses to S and R M. abscessus differ in an acute pulmonary infection setting. In this study, immunological outcomes of M. abscessus infection with S and R morphotypes were examined in an immune‐competent C3HeB/FeJ murine model. R M. abscessus infection was associated with the rapid production of inflammatory chemokines and recruitment of activated, MHC‐II+ Ly6C+ macrophages to lungs and mediastinal LN (mLN). While both S and R M. abscessus increased T helper 1 (Th1) phenotype T cells in the lung, this was markedly delayed in mice infected with S M. abscessus. However, histopathological involvement and bacterial clearance were similar regardless of colony morphotype. These results demonstrate the importance of M. abscessus colony morphotype in shaping the development of pulmonary immune responses to M. abscessus, which further informs our understanding of M. abscessus host–pathogen interactions.