CD4-mediated immunity shapes neutrophil-driven tuberculous pathology

Abstract

Pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection results in highly heterogeneous lesions ranging from granulomas with central necrosis to those primarily comprised of alveolitis. While alveolitis has been associated with prior immunity in human post-mortem studies, the drivers of these distinct pathologic outcomes are poorly understood. Here, we show that these divergent lesion structures can be modeled in C3HeB/FeJ mice and are regulated by prior immunity. Using quantitative imaging, scRNAseq, and flow cytometry, we demonstrate that Mtb infection in the absence of prior immunity elicits dysregulated neutrophil recruitment and necrotic granulomas. In contrast, prior immunity induces rapid recruitment and activation of T cells, local macrophage activation, and diminished late neutrophil responses. Depletion studies at distinct infection stages demonstrated that neutrophils are required for early necrosis initiation and necrosis propagation at chronic stages, whereas early CD4 T cell responses prevent neutrophil feedforward circuits and necrosis. Together, these studies reveal fundamental determinants of tuberculosis lesion structure and pathogenesis, which have important implications for new strategies to prevent or treat tuberculosis.