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Experimental Infection of Neonatal Foals with Rhodococcus equi Triggers Adult-Like Gamma Interferon Induction

Experimental Infection of Neonatal Foals with Rhodococcus equi Triggers Adult-Like Gamma... Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes pneumonia in young foals but does not induce disease in immunocompetent adult horses. Clearance of R. equi depends mainly on gamma interferon (IFN- ) production by T lymphocytes, whereas the predominance of interleukin 4 (IL-4) is detrimental. Young foals, like neonates of many other species, are generally deficient in the ability to produce IFN- . The objective of this study was to compare the cytokine profiles, as well as cell-mediated and antibody responses, of young foals to those of adult horses following intrabronchial challenge with R. equi . The lymphoproliferative responses of bronchial lymph node (BLN) cells to concanavalin A were significantly higher in foals than in adult horses. In contrast, adult horses had significantly higher lymphoproliferative responses to R. equi antigens than did foals. Infected foals had significantly lower IL-4 mRNA expression but significantly higher IFN- expression and IFN- /IL-4 ratio in R. equi -stimulated BLN lymphocytes than did infected adults. Infection with R. equi in foals resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of T lymphocytes and CD4 + T lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in association with a significant decrease in the percentage of these cell populations in BLNs. Infection of foals also resulted in a marked increase in serum immunoglobulin Ga (IgGa) and IgGb levels, resulting in concentrations in serum that were significantly higher than those of adult horses. This study demonstrates that the immune response to R. equi in foals is not biased toward IL-4 and is characterized by the predominant induction of IFN- . http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Clinical and Vaccine Immunology American Society For Microbiology

Experimental Infection of Neonatal Foals with Rhodococcus equi Triggers Adult-Like Gamma Interferon Induction

Experimental Infection of Neonatal Foals with Rhodococcus equi Triggers Adult-Like Gamma Interferon Induction

Clinical and Vaccine Immunology , Volume 14 (6): 669 – Jun 1, 2007

Abstract

Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes pneumonia in young foals but does not induce disease in immunocompetent adult horses. Clearance of R. equi depends mainly on gamma interferon (IFN- ) production by T lymphocytes, whereas the predominance of interleukin 4 (IL-4) is detrimental. Young foals, like neonates of many other species, are generally deficient in the ability to produce IFN- . The objective of this study was to compare the cytokine profiles, as well as cell-mediated and antibody responses, of young foals to those of adult horses following intrabronchial challenge with R. equi . The lymphoproliferative responses of bronchial lymph node (BLN) cells to concanavalin A were significantly higher in foals than in adult horses. In contrast, adult horses had significantly higher lymphoproliferative responses to R. equi antigens than did foals. Infected foals had significantly lower IL-4 mRNA expression but significantly higher IFN- expression and IFN- /IL-4 ratio in R. equi -stimulated BLN lymphocytes than did infected adults. Infection with R. equi in foals resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of T lymphocytes and CD4 + T lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in association with a significant decrease in the percentage of these cell populations in BLNs. Infection of foals also resulted in a marked increase in serum immunoglobulin Ga (IgGa) and IgGb levels, resulting in concentrations in serum that were significantly higher than those of adult horses. This study demonstrates that the immune response to R. equi in foals is not biased toward IL-4 and is characterized by the predominant induction of IFN- .

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References (52)

Publisher
American Society For Microbiology
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 by the American Society For Microbiology.
ISSN
1556-6811
eISSN
1556-6811
DOI
10.1128/CVI.00042-07
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes pneumonia in young foals but does not induce disease in immunocompetent adult horses. Clearance of R. equi depends mainly on gamma interferon (IFN- ) production by T lymphocytes, whereas the predominance of interleukin 4 (IL-4) is detrimental. Young foals, like neonates of many other species, are generally deficient in the ability to produce IFN- . The objective of this study was to compare the cytokine profiles, as well as cell-mediated and antibody responses, of young foals to those of adult horses following intrabronchial challenge with R. equi . The lymphoproliferative responses of bronchial lymph node (BLN) cells to concanavalin A were significantly higher in foals than in adult horses. In contrast, adult horses had significantly higher lymphoproliferative responses to R. equi antigens than did foals. Infected foals had significantly lower IL-4 mRNA expression but significantly higher IFN- expression and IFN- /IL-4 ratio in R. equi -stimulated BLN lymphocytes than did infected adults. Infection with R. equi in foals resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of T lymphocytes and CD4 + T lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in association with a significant decrease in the percentage of these cell populations in BLNs. Infection of foals also resulted in a marked increase in serum immunoglobulin Ga (IgGa) and IgGb levels, resulting in concentrations in serum that were significantly higher than those of adult horses. This study demonstrates that the immune response to R. equi in foals is not biased toward IL-4 and is characterized by the predominant induction of IFN- .

Journal

Clinical and Vaccine ImmunologyAmerican Society For Microbiology

Published: Jun 1, 2007

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