Differential antibrucella activity of bovine and murine macrophages.

ABSTRACT

Brucella abortus is an intracellular pathogen affecting macrophages. Macrophages release some antibrucella components such as lysozymes (LZ), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrite intermediates (RNI) which prevent intracellular survival of Brucella. The present study compared the antibrucella activity of bovine and murine macrophages following stimulation with B. abortus lipopolysaccharides. Our results revealed increased production of these antibrucella substances in murine macrophages as compared to bovine macrophages. The differential production of these antibrucella components explained the differential B. abortus killing ability of these species (bovine and mice) that was measured in terms of intramacrophagic survival of Brucellae in murine and bovine macrophages.