Extracellular forms of Mycobacterium bovis BCG in the mucosal lymphatic tissues following oral vaccination

Wenzel Czepluch; Amy C Dunn; Charlotte L Everitt; Dominik Dorer; Sarah C Saunderson; Frank E Aldwell; Alexander D McLellan

doi:10.1016/j.ijmyco.2012.11.004

Extracellular forms of Mycobacterium bovis BCG in the mucosal lymphatic tissues following oral vaccination

Int J Mycobacteriol. 2013 Mar;2(1):44-50. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmyco.2012.11.004. Epub 2012 Dec 22.

Authors

Wenzel Czepluch¹, Amy C Dunn¹, Charlotte L Everitt¹, Dominik Dorer¹, Sarah C Saunderson¹, Frank E Aldwell², Alexander D McLellan³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Otago School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand.
² Immune Solutions, Centre for Innovation, University of Otago.
³ Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Otago School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand. Electronic address: alex.mclellan@otago.ac.nz.

PMID: 26785788
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmyco.2012.11.004

Abstract

Oral vaccination with BCG provides protective systemic immunity against pathogenic mycobacterial challenge. In this study, the anatomical distribution of Mycobacterium bovis BCG following oral vaccination was investigated. Replicating bacteria in the Peyer's patches and mesenteric lymph nodes were present as solitary rods or clusters of two to three bacteria, the majority of which were isolated ex vivo as extracellular forms. Only a minority were shown to be associated with typical antigen-presenting cells. Acid-fast staining of mast cell granules in lymphoid tissues revealed a potential pitfall for these analyses and may explain previous reports of acid-fast 'coccoid' forms of mycobacteria in tissues.

Keywords: Immune response; Mycobacterium bovis BCG; Oral vaccination.