Minor role played by type I tumour necrosis factor receptor in the control of Mycobacterium avium proliferation in infected mice

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2000

Authors

Silva, RA (Author) Other; Gomes, MS (Author) Other; Appelberg, R (Author) ICBAS

Journal

Title: Immunology

Vol. 99

Pages: 203-207

ISSN: 0019-2805

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 4 Citations

Scopus - 4 Citations

Pubmed / Medline

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Health sciences > Medical sciences > Medicine > Infections

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-001-0XC

DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2567.2000.00937.x

Abstract (EN): Control of mycobacterial growth depends on the concerted activity of different cytokines acting in different stages of the development of innate and adaptive immune responses. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) has been shown to play a protective role in Mycobacterium avium infections. Here we assessed the growth of this mycobacterial species in wild-type mice and in mice with a genetically engineered disruption of the type I receptor for TNF-alpha (p55-KO mice). p55-KO mice infected with a low-virulence strain of M. avium exhibited a slightly delayed capacity to eliminate the micro-organisms from the liver as compared with wild-type animals. However, either the growth of this strain in the other organs studied (spleen and lung) or the growth of two other strains of M. avium with intermediate or high virulence, failed to be affected by mutation of the TNF-alpha receptor. p55-KO mice were also as protected by the administration of recombinant interleukin-12 as the heterozygous p55+/- mice. We conclude that signalling through the type I TNF receptor plays a small role in vivo in the induction of mycobacteriostasis during M. avium infection but may improve survival during infection with virulent mycobacteria, independently of the extent of their proliferation.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 5