Permissive lung neutrophils facilitate tuberculosis immunopathogenesis in male phagocyte NADPH oxidase-deficient mice

by Eunsol Choi, Hong-Hee Choi, Kee Woong Kwon, Hagyu Kim, Ji-Hwan Ryu, Jung Joo Hong, Sung Jae Shin

NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) is an enzyme responsible for generating reactive oxygen species, primarily found in phagocytes. Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD), along with bacterial infections such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is a representative NOX2-deficient X-linked disease characterized by uncontrolled inflammation. However, the precise roles of host-derived factors that induce infection-mediated hyperinflammation in NOX2-deficient condition remain incompletely understood. To address this, we compared Mtb-induced pathogenesis in Nox2^-/- and wild type (WT) mice in a sex-dependent manner. Among age- and sex-matched mice subjected to Mtb infection, male Nox2^-/- mice exhibited a notable increase in bacterial burden and lung inflammation. This was characterized by significantly elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines such as G-CSF, TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-1β, and IL-6, excessive neutrophil infiltration, and reduced pulmonary lymphocyte levels as tuberculosis (TB) progressed. Notably, lungs of male Nox2^-/- mice were predominantly populated with CD11b^intLy6G^intCXCR2^loCD62L^lo immature neutrophils which featured mycobacterial permissiveness. By diminishing total lung neutrophils or reducing immature neutrophils, TB immunopathogenesis was notably abrogated in male Nox2^-/- mice. Ultimately, we identified G-CSF as the pivotal trigger that exacerbates the generation of immature permissive neutrophils, leading to TB immunopathogenesis in male Nox2^-/- mice. In contrast, neutralizing IL-1α and IL-1β, which are previously known factors responsible for TB pathogenesis in Nox2^-/- mice, aggravated TB immunopathogenesis. Our study revealed that G-CSF-driven immature and permissive pulmonary neutrophils are the primary cause of TB immunopathogenesis and lung hyperinflammation in male Nox2^-/- mice. This highlights the importance of quantitative and qualitative control of pulmonary neutrophils to alleviate TB progression in a phagocyte oxidase-deficient condition.