Abstract
Pulmonary inflammation is an essential component of the host defense against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection of the lungs. The early response cytokines, TNF-alpha and IL-1, are rapidly induced upon microbial exposure. Mice deficient in all TNF- and IL-1-dependent signaling receptors were used to determine the roles of these cytokines during pneumococcal pneumonia. The deficiency of signaling receptors for TNF and IL-1 decreased bacterial clearance. Neutrophil recruitment to alveolar air spaces was impaired by receptor deficiency, as was pulmonary expression of the neutrophil chemokines KC and MIP-2. Because NF-kappaB mediates the expression of both chemokines, we assessed NF-kappaB activation in the lungs. During pneumococcal pneumonia, NF-kappaB proteins translocate to the nucleus and activate gene expression; these functions were largely abrogated by the deficiency of receptors for TNF-alpha and IL-1. Thus, the combined deficiency of TNF and IL-1 signaling reduces innate immune responses to S. pneumoniae in the lungs, probably due to essential roles for these receptors in activating NF-kappaB.