Apoptosis, but not necrosis, of infected monocytes is coupled with killing of intracellular bacillus Calmette-Guérin. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • We have examined the effect of killing of host monocytes infected with bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) on the viability of the intracellular mycobacteria. Peripheral blood monocytes were infected in vitro with a single bacillus per cell and maintained in culture for 6-8 d to allow the bacilli to replicate. Replicating viable BCG were found singly in perinuclear vacuoles bounded by tightly apposed lipid bilayers. Monocytes were then exposed to toxic mediators that induced killing of cells as evaluated by 51Cr release into the culture medium. Both hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (an inducer of cell necrosis) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP4-) (an inducer of cell apoptosis) treatment killed infected monocytes. H2O2-induced killing had no effect on BCG viability. ATP-induced cell death was accompanied by DNA fragmentation and nuclear condensation. Apoptosis was associated with a swelling of the phagocytic vacuoles which became multibacillary and with a reduction of BCG viability as enumerated by colony-forming units.

publication date

  • October 1, 1994

Research

keywords

  • Apoptosis
  • Blood Bactericidal Activity
  • Monocytes
  • Mycobacterium bovis

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC2191680

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0028136987

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1084/jem.180.4.1499

PubMed ID

  • 7931080

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 180

issue

  • 4