TY - JOUR
T1 - Endogenous interleukin-18 improves the early antimicrobial host response in severe melioidosis
AU - Wiersinga, W. Joost
AU - Wieland, Catharina W.
AU - van der Windt, Gerritje J. W.
AU - de Boer, Anita
AU - Florquin, Sandrine
AU - Dondorp, Arjen
AU - Day, Nicholas P.
AU - Peacock, Sharon J.
AU - van der Poll, Tom
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - Melioidosis is caused by the soil saprophyte Burkholderia pseudomallei and is endemic in Southeast Asia. The pathogenesis of melioidosis is still largely unknown, although gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) seems to play an obligatory role in host defense. Previously, we have shown that IFN-gamma production in melioidosis is controlled in part by interleukin-18 (IL-18). The aim of the present study was to determine the role of IL-18 in the immune response to B. pseudomallei. For this the following investigations were performed. (i) Plasma IL-18 and blood monocyte IL-18 mRNA levels were elevated in 34 patients with culture-proven melioidosis compared to the levels in 32 local healthy controls; in addition, IL-18 binding protein levels were markedly elevated in patients, strongly correlating with mortality. (ii) IL-18 gene-deficient (IL-18 knockout [KO]) mice showed accelerated mortality after intranasal infection with a lethal dose of B. pseudomallei, which was accompanied by enhanced bacterial growth in their lungs, livers, spleens, kidneys, and blood at 24 and 48 h postinfection, compared to wild-type mice. In addition, IL-18 KO mice displayed evidence of enhanced hepatocellular injury and renal insufficiency. Together, these data indicate that the enhanced production of IL-18 in melioidosis is an essential part of a protective immune response to this severe infection
AB - Melioidosis is caused by the soil saprophyte Burkholderia pseudomallei and is endemic in Southeast Asia. The pathogenesis of melioidosis is still largely unknown, although gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) seems to play an obligatory role in host defense. Previously, we have shown that IFN-gamma production in melioidosis is controlled in part by interleukin-18 (IL-18). The aim of the present study was to determine the role of IL-18 in the immune response to B. pseudomallei. For this the following investigations were performed. (i) Plasma IL-18 and blood monocyte IL-18 mRNA levels were elevated in 34 patients with culture-proven melioidosis compared to the levels in 32 local healthy controls; in addition, IL-18 binding protein levels were markedly elevated in patients, strongly correlating with mortality. (ii) IL-18 gene-deficient (IL-18 knockout [KO]) mice showed accelerated mortality after intranasal infection with a lethal dose of B. pseudomallei, which was accompanied by enhanced bacterial growth in their lungs, livers, spleens, kidneys, and blood at 24 and 48 h postinfection, compared to wild-type mice. In addition, IL-18 KO mice displayed evidence of enhanced hepatocellular injury and renal insufficiency. Together, these data indicate that the enhanced production of IL-18 in melioidosis is an essential part of a protective immune response to this severe infection
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1128/IAI.00080-07
DO - https://doi.org/10.1128/IAI.00080-07
M3 - Article
C2 - 17517876
SN - 0019-9567
VL - 75
SP - 3739
EP - 3746
JO - Infection and immunity
JF - Infection and immunity
IS - 8
ER -