Neutrophils in tuberculosis: friend or foe?

Neutrophils are rapidly recruited to sites of mycobacterial infection, where they phagocytose bacilli. Whether neutrophils can kill mycobacteria in vivo probably depends on the tissue microenvironment, stage of infection, individual host, and infecting organism. The interaction of neutrophils with m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in immunology 2012-01, Vol.33 (1), p.14-25
Main Authors: Lowe, David M, Redford, Paul S, Wilkinson, Robert J, O’Garra, Anne, Martineau, Adrian R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allergy and Immunology
Animals
bacteria
Humans
immune response
Immune system
macrophages
Macrophages - immunology
Medical research
Mycobacterium
Mycobacterium - immunology
neutrophils
Neutrophils - immunology
pathogens
Rodents
Studies
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis - immunology
Tuberculosis - microbiology
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Summary:Neutrophils are rapidly recruited to sites of mycobacterial infection, where they phagocytose bacilli. Whether neutrophils can kill mycobacteria in vivo probably depends on the tissue microenvironment, stage of infection, individual host, and infecting organism. The interaction of neutrophils with macrophages, as well as the downstream effects on T cell activity, could result in a range of outcomes from early clearance of infection to dissemination of viable bacteria together with an attenuated acquired immune response. In established disease, neutrophils accumulate in situations of high pathogen load or immunological dysfunction, and are likely to contribute to pathology. These activities may have clinical importance in terms of new treatments, targeted interventions and vaccine strategies.
ISSN:1471-4906
1471-4981
DOI:10.1016/j.it.2011.10.003