Bordetella bronchiseptica-mediated cytotoxicity to macrophages is dependent on bvg-regulated factors, including pertactin.

The effect of Bordetella bronchiseptica infection on the viability of murine macrophage-like cells and on primary porcine alveolar macrophages was investigated. The bacterium was shown to be cytotoxic for both cell types, particularly where tight cell-to-cell contacts were established. In addition, bvg mutants were poorly cytotoxic for the eukaryotic cells, while a prn mutant was significantly less toxic than wild-type bacteria. B. bronchiseptica-mediated cytotoxicity was inhibited in the presence of cytochalasin D or cycloheximide, an inhibitor of microfilament-dependent phagocytosis or de novo eukaryotic protein synthesis, respectively. The mechanism of eukaryotic cell death was examined, and cell death was found to occur primarily through a necrotic pathway, although a small proportion of the population underwent apoptosis.