Distinct ability to accumulate eosinophils during the inflammatory cellular response to M. bovis BCG in the mouse pleural cavity.

OBJECTIVE AND
DESIGN: The host response to Mycobacteria focuses on the development of cell-mediated immunity and granuloma formation. Here, we investigated the onset of cellular responses to mycobacteria in murine pleurisy. MATERIAL: Distinct mouse strains previously described as Bcg susceptible or resistant were inoculated intrathoracically with different doses of live M. bovis BCG.
METHODS: At various time intervals, cells harvested from the inflammatory site were identified and ultra-structurally analysed.
RESULTS: BCG-induced pleurisy had two peaks of cellular influx at 1 and 15 days after infection. At the first half hour, macrophages were found to be heavily infected. Neutrophil arrival started after 2 h of infection and peaked at 4 h. At this time, neutrophils were found ingesting mycobacteria exclusively with a high infecting dose. BCG was potently more eosinophilotactic in Bcg susceptible mice than in the resistant ones and to other well known eosinophilia inducers: IL-5, PAF-acether or LPS.
CONCLUSIONS: Mycobacterial load and mouse susceptibility seem to determine the early granulocyte dynamics in the lesion.