Immunologic Pathways in Protective versus Maladaptive Host Responses to Attenuated and Pathogenic Strains of Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Abstract

Mycoplasmas are small bacterial commensals or pathogens that commonly colonize host mucosal tissues and avoid rapid clearance, in part by stimulating inflammatory, immunopathogenic responses. We previously characterized a wide array of transcriptomic perturbations in avian host tracheal mucosae infected with virulent, immunopathologic Mycoplasma gallisepticum ; however, mechanisms delineating these from protective responses, such as those induced upon vaccination, have not been thoroughly explored.