Factors influencing the immune enhancement of intrapulmonary bactericidal mechanisms

The effect of specific immunization on the antibacterial defense mechanisms of the murine lung was assessed against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus aureus (Smith), Serratia marcescens, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Immunization by aerosol inhalation significantly enhanced the intrapulmonary killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis but not the remaining organisms. With P. mirabilis, systemic immunization induced higher titers of specific serum agglutinins as compared with local respiratory tract immunization; however, local immunization was more effective in enhancing pulmonary bactericidal activity than was parenteral vaccination. Passive immunity against P. mirabilis or aerogenic challenge with preopsonized P. mirabilis significantly enhanced intrapulmonary killing of the homologous organism. With S. aureus, pulmonary bactericidal activity was not accelerated by aerosol challenge with the preopsonized organism, nor was it accelerated in passively immunized mice. These data demonstrate that the immune enhancement of pulmonary bactericidal activity is governed by the bacterium used for challenge and the route of immunization. The results further demonstrate that with P. mirabilis, antibody-mediated mechanisms are involved in the immune enhancement of pulmonary bactericidal activity.