Abstract
Previous studies have suggested that virulence of pathogenic Yersiniae is associated with a suppression of the local cytokine response. In this context, the plasmid-encoded 41-kDa Yersinia outer protein B (YopB) has been implicated with the lack of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression in Peyer's patches (PP), following oral infection of mice with the enteropathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica. The present study was performed to further evaluate the relationships between YopB-induced suppression of TNF-α and bacterial survival in host tissue. Results are presented to show the ability of purified YopB to suppress the release of TNF-α by macrophages, the effect of which was neutralized by monospecific anti-YopB antiserum. In mice orally infected with Y. enterocolitica, anti-YopB treatment on days 3 and 5 postinfection, significantly decreased the recovery of live bacteria from PP. This observation correlated with a strong increase in TNF-α expression, as determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and measuring the levels of TNF activity in homogenates of PP. Moreover, treatment of mice with a combination of anti-YopB and anti-TNF-α antiserum, completely abrogated the beneficial effect of the anti-YopB antiserum. In controls, expression of other proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 remained unaffected by either treatment. Therefore, the results indicate that endogenous TNF-α is required for eradication of Y. enterocolitica from host tissue, and further imply that YopB significantly contributes to suppression of the local TNF-α response in PP.
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Received: 3 July 1996
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Burdack, S., Schmidt, A., Knieschies, E. et al. Tumor necrosis factor-α expression induced by anti-YopB antibodies coincides with protection against Yersinia enterocolitica infection in mice. Med Microbiol Immunol 185, 223–229 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004300050034
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004300050034