Dl. Jack et al., Mannose-binding lectin regulates the inflammatory response of human professional phagocytes to Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B, J INFEC DIS, 184(9), 2001, pp. 1152-1162
The influence of the innate immune protein mannose-binding lectin (MBL) on
the response of human phagocytes to Neisseria meningitidis was investigated
. MBL increased the association of killed meningococci with neutrophils, mo
nocytes, and macrophages by increasing the proportion of cells that recogni
zed bacteria. MBL down-regulated the normal change in expression of the leu
kocyte adhesion molecules CD11b and CD62L. In an ex vivo model, the additio
n of MBL to the blood of MBL-deficient donors influenced the production of
monocyte-derived inflammatory cytokines. The addition of high concentration
s of MBL (>6 mug/mL) profoundly decreased the production of interleukin (IL
)-6, IL-1 beta, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha by monocytes in response to
meningococci, whereas lower concentrations enhanced the production of IL-6
and IL-1. These results suggest that MBL not only is involved in complemen
t activation but also is a potent regulator of inflammatory pathways and, a
s such, may affect the severity of meningococcal disease.