Cytokine and nitric oxide responses of monocyte-derived human macrophages to microsporidian spores

Microsporidia are obligate intracellular parasites that emerged as opportunistic pathogens since the onset of the AIDS pandemic. They are capable of disseminating through the body using macrophages as vehicles. We incubated human macrophages with spores of all three Encephalitozoon spp. as well as with Vittaforma corneae, and the number of intracellular spores per cell was determined by fluorescence microscopy. Cell culture supernatants were collected and the content of TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-10, and of nitric oxide was determined. Microsporidian spores did not induce a nitric oxide response in macrophages and there was a negative correlation between the number of intracellular spores and the amount of nitric oxide. TNF-α, INF-γ, and IL-10 increased after simulation of macrophages with microsporidian spores but for TNF-α and INF-γ no clear correlation of cytokine levels with the number of intracellular spores could be observed. A modulation of the nitric oxide response by intracellular microsporidia may contribute to the survival of microsporidia within the macrophage by a mechanism yet unknown.