Type I interferon suppresses type II interferon-triggered human anti-mycobacterial responses.

ABSTRACT: Type I interferons (IFN-? and IFN-?) are important for protection against many viral infections, whereas type II interferon (IFN-?) is essential for host defense against some bacterial and parasitic pathogens. Study of IFN responses in human leprosy revealed an inverse correlation between IFN-? and IFN-? gene expression programs. IFN-? and its downstream vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial genes were preferentially expressed in self-healing tuberculoid lesions and mediated antimicrobial activity against the pathogen Mycobacterium leprae in vitro. In contrast, IFN-? and its downstream genes, including interleukin-10 (IL-10), were induced in monocytes by M. leprae in vitro and preferentially expressed in disseminated and progressive lepromatous lesions. The IFN-?-induced macrophage vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial peptide response was inhibited by IFN-? and by IL-10, suggesting that the differential production of IFNs contributes to protection versus pathogenesis in some human bacterial infections.

SUBMITTER: Teles RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3653587 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature