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Infection and Immunity, June 1999, p. 2834-2840, Vol. 67, No. 6
Department of Medicine,
Received 11 September 1998/Returned for modification 2 November
1998/Accepted 12 March 1999
Patients with unresolving acute respiratory distress syndrome
(ARDS) have persistently elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines
in the lungs and circulation and increased rates of bacterial
infections. Phagocytic cells hyperactivated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which induces high levels of proinflammatory cytokines in
monocytic cells, are inefficient in killing ingested bacteria despite
having intact phagocytic activity. On the other hand, phagocytic cells
that are activated with an analogue of LPS that does not induce the
expression of proinflammatory cytokines effectively ingest and kill
bacteria. We hypothesized that in the presence of high concentrations
of proinflammatory cytokines, bacteria may adapt and utilize cytokines
to their growth advantage. To test our hypothesis, we primed a human
monocytic cell line (U937) with escalating concentrations of the
proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1
0019-9567/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Effects of Cytokines and Endotoxin on the
Intracellular Growth of Bacteria
Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee 38163
(IL-1
), and IL-6 and with LPS. These cells were then exposed to
fresh isolates of three common nosocomial pathogens:
Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
and an Acinetobacter sp. In human monocytes primed with
lower concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines (10 to 250 pg) or LPS
(1 and 10 ng), intracellular bacterial growth decreased. However, when
human monocytes were primed with higher concentrations of
proinflammatory cytokines (1 to 10 ng) or LPS (1 to 10 µg), intracellular growth of the tested bacteria increased significantly (P <0.0001). These results were reproduced with peripheral
blood monocytes obtained from normal healthy volunteers. The
specificity of the cytokine activity was demonstrated by neutralizing
the cytokines with specific antibodies. Our findings provide a possible mechanism to explain the frequent development of bacterial infections in patients with an intense and protracted inflammatory response.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Memphis Lung
Research Program, University of Tennessee
Memphis, 956 Court Ave.,
Room H316, Memphis, TN 38163. Phone: (901) 448-1475. Fax: (901)
448-7726. E-mail: skanangat{at}utmem.edu.
Infection and Immunity, June 1999, p. 2834-2840, Vol. 67, No. 6
0019-9567/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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