Abstract
Type I interferons (IFN-α and IFN-β) are important for protection against many viral infections, whereas type II interferon (IFN-γ) is essential for host defense against some bacterial and parasitic pathogens. Study of IFN responses in human leprosy revealed an inverse correlation between IFN-β and IFN-γ gene expression programs. IFN-γ 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-β 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-γ-induced macrophage vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial peptide response was inhibited by IFN-β and by IL-10, suggesting that the differential production of IFNs contributes to protection versus pathogenesis in some human bacterial infections.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1448-53 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Science |
Volume | 339 |
Issue number | 6126 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 22 Mar 2013 |
Keywords
- 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 1-alpha-Hydroxylase
- Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
- Humans
- Interferon-beta
- Interferon-gamma
- Interleukin-10
- Leprosy, Lepromatous
- Leprosy, Tuberculoid
- Microbial Viability
- Monocytes
- Mycobacterium leprae
- RNA, Messenger
- Receptors, Calcitriol
- Transcriptome
- Tuberculosis
- Up-Regulation
- beta-Defensins