Killing of Histoplasma capsulatum by -interferon-activated human monocyte-derived macrophages: evidence for a superoxide anion-dependent mechanism
- 1 July 1991
- journal article
- Published by Microbiology Society in Journal of Medical Microbiology
- Vol. 35 (1) , 29-34
- https://doi.org/10.1099/00222615-35-1-29
Abstract
Summary The interaction of human macrophages with the yeast form of the thermally dimorphic fungal pathogen, Histoplasma capsulatum, was studied. Macrophages derived from monocytes by culture in vitro for 3 days ingested H. capsulatum, but were neither fungicidal or fungistatic. In contrast, when monocytes were exposed to human recombinant gamma-interferon (γ-IFN) during their differentiation into macrophages, those macrophages were able to reduce the number of ingested or adherent cfu of H. capsulatum by 44-75% in 2 h. Activation of macrophages for fungicidal activity by γ-IFN was dose dependent and 500-1000 units ml were optimal. Antibody to γ-IFN abrogated the γ-IFN activation process. Killing of H. capsulatum by activated macrophages in 2-h assays could be inhibited by superoxide dismutase but not by sodium azide.Keywords
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