Neither Classical nor Alternative Macrophage Activation Is Required for Pneumocystis Clearance during Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome |
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| Authors: | Zhuo-Qian Zhang Jing Wang Zachary Hoy Achsah Keegan Samir Bhagwat Francis Gigliotti Terry W Wright |
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| Institution: | aDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA;bDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA;cCenter for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
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| Abstract: | Pneumocystis is a respiratory fungal pathogen that causes pneumonia (Pneumocystis pneumonia PcP]) in immunocompromised patients. Alveolar macrophages are critical effectors for CD4+ T cell-dependent clearance of Pneumocystis, and previous studies found that alternative macrophage activation accelerates fungal clearance during PcP-related immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). However, the requirement for either classically or alternatively activated macrophages for Pneumocystis clearance has not been determined. Therefore, RAG2−/− mice lacking either the interferon gamma (IFN-γ) receptor (IFN-γR) or interleukin 4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα) were infected with Pneumocystis. These mice were then immune reconstituted with wild-type lymphocytes to preserve the normal T helper response while preventing downstream effects of Th1 or Th2 effector cytokines on macrophage polarization. As expected, RAG2−/− mice developed severe disease but effectively cleared Pneumocystis and resolved IRIS. Neither RAG/IFN-γR−/− nor RAG/IL-4Rα−/− mice displayed impaired Pneumocystis clearance. However, RAG/IFN-γR−/− mice developed a dysregulated immune response, with exacerbated IRIS and greater pulmonary function deficits than those in RAG2 and RAG/IL-4Rα−/− mice. RAG/IFN-γR−/− mice had elevated numbers of lung CD4+ T cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, and NK cells but severely depressed numbers of lung CD8+ T suppressor cells. Impaired lung CD8+ T cell responses in RAG/IFN-γR−/− mice were associated with elevated lung IFN-γ levels, and neutralization of IFN-γ restored the CD8 response. These data demonstrate that restricting the ability of macrophages to polarize in response to Th1 or Th2 cytokines does not impair Pneumocystis clearance. However, a cell type-specific IFN-γ/IFN-γR-dependent mechanism regulates CD8+ T suppressor cell recruitment, limits immunopathogenesis, preserves lung function, and enhances the resolution of PcP-related IRIS. |
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