NO-producing Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils Confer Protection against Chlamydia psittaci in Mouse Lung Infection

Background: Whether polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) exert a protective role upon chlamydial Infection by expressing inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) and producing NO remains unclear.

Methods: This issue was addressed using BALB/c mice infected with C. psittaci (Cps) 6BC strain. Methods mainly included flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and Western blot.

Results: The number of PMN was significantly increased during Cps Infection, which was accompanied by the increased iNOS expression and NO production in the mouse lungs. PMN were the major source of NO during pulmonary Cps Infection and inhibited Cps multiplication in an iNOS/NO-dependent manner. Depletion of PMN aggravated Cps-induced disease and increased Cps burden. Mechanically, NF-κB and STAT1 signaling pathways, but not MAPK signaling pathways, were required for the induction of iNOS expression and NO production in PMN by Cps Infection. Thus, our findings highlight the protective role of NO-producing PMN in Cps Infection.

Conclusions: NO-producing PMN confer a protective role during pulmonary Cps Infection in mice, and thus our study sheds new LIGHT on PMN function during Chlamydia Infection.

Chlamydia psittaci; Inducible NO synthase; Lung infection; Nitric oxide; Polymorphonuclear neutrophils.