Summary
This report deals with some ultrastructural and functional changes which were observed in human monocytes from peripheral blood in patients treated with Brucella vaccine during the remittance phase of an acute B. melitensis infection. Monocytes from these patients showed increased “in vitro” phagocytic and bactericidal activities and displayed morphological attributes which are considered characteristic of the so-called macrophage activation, a functional modification observed solely in animals in association with cell-mediated immunity states. The authors discuss their findings in relation to previous results obtained in human tuberculin hypersensitivity and put forward the hypothesis that the observed modifications in morphology and function of monocytes might be obtained through release by sensitized lymphocytes of lymphokine factors acting on mononuclear phagocytes.
Zusammenfassung
Diese Untersuchung berichtet über Veränderungen der Ultrastruktur und Funktion bei menschlichen Monozyten des peripheren Blutes von Personen, die mit einer Brucella-Vakzine behandelt wurden, und Erkrankten, die eine akute Brucella-melitensis-Infektion überstanden hatten. Die Monozyten dieser Patienten zeigten eine steigende phagozytäre und bakterizide Aktivität in vitro und morphologische Veränderungen, die als ein Charakteristikum der sog. Makrophagenaktivierung angesehen wurden. Es handelt sich hierbei um eine funktionelle Eigenart, die lediglich bei Tieren in Verbindung mit dem „cell-mediated“ Immunstatus beobachtet wurden. Die Autoren diskutieren ihre Befunde im Hinblick auf früher gewonnene Resultate bei der humanen Tuberkulinallergie. Folgende Hypothese wird aufgestellt: Die beobachteten morphologischen und funktionellen Veränderungen der Monozyten könnten in der Weise zustande kommen, daß „lymphokine factors“, die auf mononukleäre Phagozyten wirken, hierfür verantwortlich sind.
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Magliulo, E., Carosi, G., Scevola, D.F. et al. Macrophage activation in human brucellosis. Infection 1, 144–150 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01641324
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01641324