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Neutrophil survival is markedly reduced by incubation with influenza virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae : role of respiratory burst
Author(s) -
Engelich Georg,
White Mitchell,
Hartshorn Kevan L.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of leukocyte biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.819
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1938-3673
pISSN - 0741-5400
DOI - 10.1189/jlb.69.1.50
Subject(s) - streptococcus pneumoniae , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , influenza a virus , nadph oxidase , respiratory burst , immunology , pneumonia , incubation , virus , virology , reactive oxygen species , medicine , antibiotics , biochemistry
Bacterial superinfections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality during influenza A virus (IAV) epidemics. We demonstrate that incubation with the combination of IAV and Streptococcus pneumoniae caused marked reductions in survival of neutrophils in vitro compared with treatment with control buffer or IAV or S. pneumoniae alone. This cooperative effect was in part mediated by acceleration of neutrophil apoptosis as evidenced by increases in annexin‐V binding and caspase‐3 activation. However, GM‐CSF did not increase survival of neutrophils exposed to IAV and S. pneumoniae . IAV enhanced neutrophil uptake of S. pneumoniae significantly. Furthermore, the combination of IAV and S. pneumoniae caused significantly more hydrogen peroxide production than IAV or S. pneumoniae alone. This increased respiratory burst activity contributed to the diminished neutrophil survival caused by IAV and S. pneumoniae . The NADPH oxidase inhibitor, diphenyleneiodonium, significantly improved survival of neutrophils treated with IAV and S. pneumoniae . These findings may help to explain the increased susceptibility of IAV‐infected patients to infections with S. pneumoniae.