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Acute-phase reactants during murine tuberculosis: unknown dimensions and new frontiers.
Prati Pal Singh1, Sukhraj Kaur
1National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Phase-X, S.A.S Nagar-160 062, India. drppsingh2002@yahoo.com
Tuberculosis (Edinburgh, Scotland)
|November 9, 2005
Summary
Serum amyloid P-component (SAP) levels increase in mice infected with virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis. SAP inhibits mycobacterial uptake and growth within macrophages, suggesting a role in tuberculosis defense.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Serum amyloid P-component (SAP) is crucial for host defense in infections.
- Its role in tuberculosis (TB) remains uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the SAP response in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb.) infected mice.
- To determine SAP's effect on M.tb. uptake and intracellular growth in macrophages.
Main Methods:
- ELISA for SAP levels in M.tb. infected mice.
- Fluorescence microscopy and plating for mycobacterial uptake and growth in alveolar macrophages (AMs).
Main Results:
- M.tb. H37Rv infection led to higher SAP levels than H37Ra.
- SAP inhibited M.tb. uptake and intracellular growth in AMs in a dose-dependent manner.
- Inhibition was dependent on divalent cations, pH, and SAP's integrity, and could be blocked by mannose or anti-SAP antibodies.
Conclusions:
- M.tb. infection elicits a significant SAP response.
- SAP exhibits anti-mycobacterial activity by inhibiting uptake and intracellular growth in AMs.
- The observed effects are virulence-dependent.