Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., Volume 22, Number 3, March, 2000 333-343

Pulmonary Immune Responses during Primary Mycobacterium bovis- Calmette-Guerin Bacillus Infection in C57Bl/6 Mice

Scott A. Fulton, Thomas D. Martin, Raymond W. Redline, and W. Henry Boom

Division of Infectious Diseases and the Institute of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio

Mechanisms of protective immunity to mycobacterial infection in the lung remain poorly defined. In this study, T-cell subset expansion and cytokine expression in bronchoalveolar spaces, lung parenchyma, and mediastinal lymph nodes of mice infected intratracheally with Mycobacterium bovis-Calmette-Guerin bacillus (BCG) were analyzed in parallel with histopathology and bacterial burden. M. bovis-BCG was cleared rapidly from bronchoalveolar spaces without evidence for persistence. In lung parenchyma bacteria grew during the first 4 wk followed by gradual clearance with less than 0.1% of the original inoculum persisting for more than 8 mo. Clearance of M. bovis-BCG from bronchoalveolar lavage was associated with recruitment of both neutrophils and lymphocytes. Lung CD4⁺, CD8⁺, and T-cell receptor-positive T cells expanded maximally by Week 4, and declined by Week 8 to control values despite bacterial persistence. Both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ lung T cells produced interferon (IFN)- in response to M. bovis-BCG. Four distinct pathologic states of lung parenchymal infection were noted. Early focal sub-bronchial inflammation with transmigration of cells into airways was followed by diffuse peribronchitis, perivasculitis, and alveolitis with activated macrophages, lymphoblasts, and occasional giant cells. The latter stage corresponded to maximal M. bovis-BCG growth. Resolving infection consisted of small lymphocytes and foamy macrophages, which coincided with decreasing M. bovis-BCG colony-forming units, T-cell infiltration, and IFN- expression. A final quiescent phase consisted of residual lymphoid aggregates and perivasculitis associated with persistent spontaneous IFN- production. Bacterial dissemination to lymph node and spleen occurred by Week 4 and declined in parallel to lung. In contrast to lung, IFN- secretion was detected only late despite early expansion of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells. By reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction, IFN- and interleukin (IL)-12 p40 messenger RNA (mRNA) in lung paralleled IFN- protein production. Tumor necrosis factor-, IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA expression was not increased during M. bovis-BCG lung infection. Thus, protective immunity to M. bovis-BCG in the lung evolved differently in air space, lung, and lymph node.

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