Antimicrobial and immunoregulatory effects mediated by human lung cells: role of IFN-γ-induced tryptophan degradation

Pneumonia caused by bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens is one of the most common clinical problems facing primary and secondary care physicians. Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of lung abscesses in humans and, in immunocompromised patients, herpes simplex virus type I and Toxoplasma gondii can cause severe life-threatening pneumonia. The authors focused their interest in the antimicrobial effects mediated by human lung cells against these pathogens. It was found that IFN-γ-stimulated lung cells are capable of inhibiting T cell proliferation and restrict the replication of microorganisms such as T. gondii, S. aureus and herpes simplex virus. This immunoregulatory and antimicrobial effect was enhanced in the presence of IL-1 or tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Furthermore, the IFN-γ-dependent antimicrobial effects of HBE4-E6/E7 (human lung bronchus epithelial cells) and A549 (human type II alveolar cells) correlated with the activation of the tryptophan-degrading enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). It was found that both the abrogation of IDO activity by the specific IDO-inhibitor 1- l-methyltryptophan and the supplementation of cultures with tryptophan result in an inhibition of IFN-γ-induced antimicrobial effects mediated by lung cells. Therefore it is suggested that tryptophan depletion via IFN-γ-mediated IDO induction is a major antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral and immunoregulatory mechanism in human lung cells.