Protective effects of tumor necrosis factor in experimental Legionella pneumophila infections of mice via activation of PMN function.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) was found in the lung lavage fluids of Legionella pneumophila-infected mice within 24 hr of intratracheal (i.t.) inoculation. Since this cytokine has been reported to activate polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) function, the effect of TNF on the in vitro bactericidal capacity of PMN-enriched cultures was determined. Murine thioglycollate-elicited PMN which were treated with recombinant human TNF demonstrated augmented killing of L. pneumophila bacteria in vitro. Furthermore, treatment of PMN suspensions with cytokine-containing lung lavage fluid was found to enhance the bactericidal activity of PMN. The addition of anti-cachectin/TNF antibodies partially abrogated the stimulatory effects of the lavage fluid, suggesting that in vivo activation of PMN during the course of infection was likely, and that TNF was partially responsible for the enhanced bactericidal activity. In vivo treatment of animals with TNF resulted in significant protection of the animals from mortality. Furthermore, the rate of clearance of bacteria from the lung tissues of infected mice was increased in those animals treated with TNF, and correlated with the ability of this cytokine to protect the animals. These data suggest that the induction of TNF by Legionella bacteria during infection are involved in the non-specific host defense mechanisms, and that PMN activated by the TNF may be instrumental in clearing the organism from infected lung tissues, thereby protecting the animal.