Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23211929›Full record

ArticleMicrobes and infection2013

Role of NK cells in host defense against pulmonary type A Francisella tularensis infection.

Deanna M Schmitt, Dawn M O'Dee, Matthew J Brown, Joseph Horzempa, Brian C Russo, Penelope A Morel, Gerard J Nau

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Microbes and infection, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 31% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. The immune response toFrontiers in microbiology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Deanna M SchmittDepartment of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, W1157 BSTWR, 200 Lothrop St., Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Dawn M O'Dee
Matthew J Brown
Joseph Horzempa
Brian C Russo
Penelope A Morel
Gerard J Nau
University of Pittsburgh · US

Funding

Vaccine strategy for broad spectrum protection agains non-typhoidal salmonellU54AI057168 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · PI LEVINE, MYRON MAX · 2003 to 2013
$91.5M
Immunology of Infectious DiseaseT32AI060525 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI JoAnne L. Flynn · 2005 to 2026
$5.3M
NIAID NIH HHS AI050018NIAID NIH HHS AI057168NIAID NIH HHS N01 AI050018NIAID NIH HHS T32 AI060525NIAID NIH HHS U54 AI057168
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Pneumonic tularemia is a potentially fatal disease caused by the Category A bioterrorism agent Francisella tularensis. Understanding the pulmonary immune response to this bacterium is necessary for developing effective vaccines and therapeutics. In this study, characterization of immune cell populations in the lungs of mice infected with the type A strain Schu S4 revealed a significant loss in natural killer (NK) cells over time. Since this decline in NK cells correlated with morbidity and mortality, we hypothesized these cells contribute to host defense against Schu S4 infection. Depletion of NK cells prior to Schu S4 challenge significantly reduced IFN-γ and granzyme B in the lung but had no effect on bacterial burden or disease progression. Conversely, increasing NK cell numbers with the anti-apoptotic cytokine IL-15 and soluble receptor IL-15Rα had no significant impact on Schu S4 growth in vivo. A modest decrease in median time to death, however, was observed in live vaccine strain (LVS)-vaccinated mice depleted of NK1.1+ cells and challenged with Schu S4. Therefore, NK cells do not appear to contribute to host defense against acute respiratory infection with type A F. tularensis in vivo, but they play a minor role in protection elicited by LVS vaccination.

Indexed as

Analysis of VarianceAnimalsCell SurvivalFemaleFrancisella tularensisGranzymesHost-Pathogen InteractionsInterferon-gammaInterleukin-15Killer Cells, NaturalLeukocytesLungMacrophagesMiceMice, Inbred C57BLTularemiaGranzymesGzmb protein, mouseInterferon-gammaInterleukin-15

Identifiers

PMID23211929
PMCPMC4089191
OpenAlexW2074007348

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.