Innate Invariant NKT Cells Recognize Mycobacterium tuberculosis–Infected Macrophages, Produce Interferon-γ, and Kill Intracellular Bacteria

Abstract

Cellular immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) requires a coordinated response between the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system, resulting in a type 1 cytokine response, which is associated with control of infection. The contribution of innate lymphocytes to immunity against Mtb remains controversial. We established an in vitro system to study this question. Interferon-γ is produced when splenocytes from uninfected mice are cultured with Mtb-infected macrophages, and, under these conditions, bacterial replication is suppressed. This innate control of bacterial replication is dependent on CD1d-restricted invariant NKT (iNKT) cells, and their activation requires CD1d expression by infected macrophages as well as IL-12 and IL-18. We show that iNKT cells, even in limiting quantities, are sufficient to restrict Mtb replication. To determine whether iNKT cells contribute to host defense against tuberculosis in vivo, we adoptively transferred iNKT cells into mice. Primary splenic iNKT cells obtained from uninfected mice significantly reduce the bacterial burden in the lungs of mice infected with virulent Mtb by the aerosol route. Thus, iNKT cells have a direct bactericidal effect, even in the absence of synthetic ligands such as α-galactosylceramide. Our finding that iNKT cells protect mice against aerosol Mtb infection is the first evidence that CD1d-restricted NKT cells mediate protection against Mtb in vivo. Host resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) requires a coordinated response by the different components of the immune system. We established an in vitro model to study the contribution of innate lymphocytes to immunity against Mtb. When co-cultured with Mtb-infected macrophages, splenocytes from uninfected mice become activated and suppress bacterial replication. By fractionating the different splenocyte cell populations, we discovered that the invariant NKT (iNKT) cell is essential for suppressing intracellular bacterial replication. iNKT cells, which are conserved in rodents and humans, recognize lipids presented by the antigen-presenting molecule CD1d. While we had previously shown that iNKT cell-deficient mice are not more susceptible to tuberculosis, a potential contribution of iNKT cells during the early phase of immunity may have been masked. To address this issue, we showed that highly purified iNKT cells were sufficient to reduce the lung bacterial burden of mice infected with virulent Mtb. This is the first evidence that CD1d-restricted iNKT cells play a physiological role in mediating protection against aerosol Mtb infection in vivo. Thus, by being an early producer of interferon-g and suppressing intracellular bacterial growth, iNKT cells function as an important part of the early immune response against Mtb.