Title
Mycobacterium bovis Bacille-Calmette-Guérin Infection Aggravates Atherosclerosis
Date Issued
18 December 2020
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Huaman M.A.
Qualls J.E.
Jose S.
Schmidt S.M.
Moussa A.
Kuhel D.G.
Konaniah E.
Komaravolu R.K.
Fichtenbaum C.J.
Deepe G.S.
Hui D.Y.
Publisher(s)
Frontiers Media S.A.
Abstract
Tuberculosis has been associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. To examine whether mycobacterial infection exacerbates atherosclerosis development in experimental conditions, we infected low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (Ldlr-/-) mice with Mycobacterium bovis Bacille-Calmette-Guérin (BCG), an attenuated strain of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Twelve-week old male Ldlr-/- mice were infected with BCG (0.3–3.0x106 colony-forming units) via the intranasal route. Mice were subsequently fed a western-type diet containing 21% fat and 0.2% cholesterol for up to 16 weeks. Age-matched uninfected Ldlr-/- mice fed with an identical diet served as controls. Atherosclerotic lesions in aorta were examined using Oil Red O staining. Changes induced by BCG infection on the immunophenotyping profile of circulating T lymphocytes and monocytes were assessed using flow cytometry. BCG infection increased atherosclerotic lesions in en face aorta after 8 weeks (plaque ratio; 0.021±0.01 vs. 0.013±0.01; p = 0.011) and 16 weeks (plaque ratio, 0.15±0.13 vs. 0.06±0.02; p = 0.003). No significant differences in plasma cholesterol or triglyceride levels were observed between infected and uninfected mice. Compared to uninfected mice, BCG infection increased systemic CD4/CD8 T cell ratio and the proportion of Ly6Clow non-classical monocytes at weeks 8 and 16. Aortic plaque ratios correlated with CD4/CD8 T cell ratios (Spearman’s rho = 0.498; p = 0.001) and the proportion of Ly6Clow non-classical monocytes (Spearman’s rho = 0.629; p < 0.001) at week 16. In conclusion, BCG infection expanded the proportion of CD4+ T cell and Ly6Clow monocytes, and aggravated atherosclerosis formation in the aortas of hyperlipidemic Ldlr-/- mice. Our results indicate that mycobacterial infection is capable of enhancing atherosclerosis development.
Volume
11
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Sistema respiratorio Enfermedades infecciosas Inmunología
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85098683985
PubMed ID
Source
Frontiers in Immunology
ISSN of the container
16643224
Sponsor(s)
This work was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (grant number KL2 TR001426 to MH), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (grant number R01 AI116668 to JQ), and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (grant number R01 DK074932 to DH) at the National Institutes of Health. MH also received support from the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or the institutions with which the authors are affiliated. The funding source had no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus