PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Leemans, Jaklien C.
AU  - Juffermans, Nicole P.
AU  - Florquin, Sandrine
AU  - van Rooijen, Nico
AU  - Vervoordeldonk, Margriet J.
AU  - Verbon, Annelies
AU  - van Deventer, Sander J. H.
AU  - van der Poll, Tom
TI  - Depletion of Alveolar Macrophages Exerts Protective Effects in Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Mice
AID  - 10.4049/jimmunol.166.7.4604
DP  - 2001 Apr 01
TA  - The Journal of Immunology
PG  - 4604--4611
VI  - 166
IP  - 7
4099  - http://www.jimmunol.org/content/166/7/4604.short
4100  - http://www.jimmunol.org/content/166/7/4604.full
SO  - J. Immunol.2001 Apr 01; 166
AB  - Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli are intracellular organisms that reside in phagosomes of alveolar macrophages (AMs). To determine the in vivo role of AM depletion in host defense against M. tuberculosis infection, mice with pulmonary tuberculosis induced by intranasal administration of virulent M. tuberculosis were treated intranasally with either liposome-encapsulated dichloromethylene diphosphonate (AM− mice), liposomes, or saline (AM+ mice). AM− mice were completely protected against lethality, which was associated with a reduced outgrowth of mycobacteria in lungs and liver, and a polarized production of type 1 cytokines in lung tissue, and by splenocytes stimulated ex vivo. AM− mice displayed deficient granuloma formation, but were more capable of attraction and activation of T cells into the lung and had increased numbers of pulmonary polymorphonuclear cells. These data demonstrate that depletion of AMs is protective during pulmonary tuberculosis.