p47phox deficiency induces macrophage dysfunction resulting in progressive crystalline macrophage pneumonia

Am J Pathol. 2009 Jan;174(1):153-63. doi: 10.2353/ajpath.2009.080555. Epub 2008 Dec 18.

Abstract

Nicotinamide dinucleotide phosphate oxidase-deficient (p47(phox-/-)) mice are a model of human chronic granulomatous disease; these mice are prone to develop systemic infections and inflammatory diseases. The use of antibiotic (Bactrim) prophylaxis in a specific pathogen-free environment, however, impedes infection in the majority of p47(phox-/-) mice. We examined infection-free p47(phox-/-) mice between 1 and 14 months of age and found that they developed proliferative macrophage lesions containing Ym1/Ym2 protein and crystals in lung, bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen. Here, we show that the lung lesions progressed from single macrophages with intracellular Ym1/Ym2 protein crystals to severe diffuse crystalline macrophage pneumonia without histological evidence of either granulation tissue or pulmonary fibrosis. Ym1/Ym2 is a chitinase-like secretory protein that is transiently induced in alternatively activated macrophages during T-helper (Th)2-biased pathogenesis and during chemical and traumatic inflammation. Bronchoalveolar lavage from p47(phox-/-) mice contained significantly higher levels of Th-1 (interferon-gamma), Th-2 (interleukin-4), and Th-17 (interleukin-17)-associated cytokines than wild-type mice, as well as copious amounts of interleukin-12, indicating that Ym1-secreting p47(phox-/-) macrophages are also integrated into classically activated macrophage responses. These results suggest that p47(phox-/-) macrophages are extremely pliable, due in part to an intrinsic dysfunction of macrophage activation pathways that allows for distinct classical or alternative activation phenotypes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Chitinases / metabolism
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Granulomatous Disease, Chronic / immunology*
  • Granulomatous Disease, Chronic / pathology
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Lectins / metabolism
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Macrophage Activation / immunology
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • NADPH Oxidases / deficiency*
  • NADPH Oxidases / immunology
  • NADPH Oxidases / metabolism
  • Pneumonia / immunology*
  • Pneumonia / pathology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidases / metabolism

Substances

  • Lectins
  • NADPH Oxidases
  • neutrophil cytosolic factor 1
  • Chitinases
  • Ym2 protein, mouse
  • Chil3 protein, mouse
  • beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidases