The Role of Macrophages in the Innate Immune Response to Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Joby Cole; Jamil Jubrail; Jody Aberdein; David H. Dockrell
- Source
- Subject
- Innate immune system
Immune system
Staphylococcus aureus
Phagocytosis
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Immunology
medicine
Pattern recognition receptor
Virulence
Biology
medicine.disease_cause
Pathogen
Microbiology
- Language
Macrophages are critical mediators of innate immune responses against bacteria. The Gram-positive bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus express a range of virulence factors, which challenge macrophages' immune competence. We review how macrophages respond to this challenge. Macrophages employ a range of strategies to phagocytose and kill each pathogen. When the macrophages capacity to clear bacteria is overwhelmed macrophages play important roles in orchestrating the inflammatory response through pattern recognition receptor-mediated responses. Macrophages also ensure the inflammatory response is tightly constrained, to avoid tissue damage, and play an important role in downregulating the inflammatory response once initial bacterial replication is controlled.