Following i.v. BCG infection, a new population of macrophages are recruited in the rabbit lung. These macrophages, known as activated macrophages, substitute the resident macrophages and can play a key role in the defence against mycobacteria. We report here that BCG-activated alveolar macrophages are equipped with a more active hexose monophosphate pathway, which can maintain an optimal intracellular concentration of NADPH and GSH, and allow to produce mycobactericidal free radicals and to become resistant to mycobacterium-induced programmed cell death. These findings suggest that sustaining the anti-oxidant properties of macrophages could represent a candidate process to be considered as a good therapeutic target in fighting Mycobacterium spp infections.
Titolo: | BCG-induced Rabbit Alveolar Macrophages are Endowed with Strengthened Antioxidant Metabolic Pathways. |
Autori: | |
Data di pubblicazione: | 2007 |
Rivista: | |
Abstract: | Following i.v. BCG infection, a new population of macrophages are recruited in the rabbit lung. These macrophages, known as activated macrophages, substitute the resident macrophages and can play a key role in the defence against mycobacteria. We report here that BCG-activated alveolar macrophages are equipped with a more active hexose monophosphate pathway, which can maintain an optimal intracellular concentration of NADPH and GSH, and allow to produce mycobactericidal free radicals and to become resistant to mycobacterium-induced programmed cell death. These findings suggest that sustaining the anti-oxidant properties of macrophages could represent a candidate process to be considered as a good therapeutic target in fighting Mycobacterium spp infections. |
Handle: | http://hdl.handle.net/11368/1701032 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10753-007-9045-z |
URL: | http://www.springerlink.com/content/v55g503626435177/ |
Appare nelle tipologie: | 1.1 Articolo in Rivista |