Protective Role for Macrophages in Respiratory Francisella tularensis Infection

Abstract

ABSTRACT Francisella tularensis causes lethal pneumonia following infection of the lungs by targeting macrophages for intracellular replication; however, macrophages stimulated with interferon gamma (IFN-γ) can resist infection in vitro . We therefore hypothesized that the protective effect of IFN-γ against F. tularensis in vivo requires macrophages receptive to stimulation. We found that the lethality of pulmonary F. tularensis LVS infection was exacerbated under conditions of alveolar macrophage depletion and in mice with a macrophage-specific defect in IFN-γ signaling (termed mice with macrophages insensitive to IFN-γ [MIIG mice]). We previously found that treatment with exogenous interleukin 12 (IL-12) protects against F. tularensis infection; this protection was lost in MIIG mice. MIIG mice also exhibited reduced neutrophil recruitment to the lungs following infection. Systemic neutrophil depletion was found to render wild-type mice highly sensitive to respiratory F. tularensis infection, and depletion beginning at 3 days postinfection led to more pronounced sensitivity than depletion beginning prior to infection. Furthermore, IL-12-mediated protection required NADPH oxidase activity. These results indicate that lung macrophages serve a critical protective role in respiratory F. tularensis LVS infection. Macrophages require IFN-γ signaling to mediate protection, which ultimately results in recruitment of neutrophils to further aid in survival from infection.