Lab Anim Res.  2011 Jun;27(2):91-98. 10.5625/lar.2011.27.2.91.

Difference in Resistance to Streptococcus pneumoniae Infection in Mice

• Jeong DG
• Jeong ES
• Seo JH
• Heo SH
• Choi YK

• KMID: 2053657
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2011.27.2.91

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major pathogen that causes various diseases, including pneumonia and sepsis, as millions of people suffer from S. pneumoniae infection worldwide. To better understand the immune and inflammatory responses to S. pneumoniae, we produced murine models. To investigate the differences between intranasal and intratracheal infection, BALB/c mice were infected with S. pneumoniae D39 intranasally or intratracheally. Mice showed no significant differences in survival rates, body weight changes, and bacterial loads. To investigate resistance and susceptibility among mouse strains, BALB/c, C57BL/6J, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) knockout, and interleukin-10 (IL-10) knockout mice were infected with S. pneumoniae D39 via intranasal or intravenous routes. In this study, BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice were resistant, IL-10 knockout mice were intermediate, and TNF-alpha knokout mice were susceptible to S. pneumoniae infection. These data show that intranasal and intratracheal infection induced similar results after S. pneumoniae infection, and the genetic background of mice must be considered when studying S. pneumoniae infection in vivo.

Keyword

Genetic background; knockout mouse; Streptococcus pneumoniae

MeSH Terms

Animals
Bacterial Load
Body Weight Changes
Interleukin-10
Mice
Mice, Knockout
Pneumococcal Infections
Pneumonia
Sepsis
Streptococcus
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Survival Rate
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Interleukin-10
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Survival rates (A) and body weight changes (B) of BALB/c mice infected with 2×107 CFU of S. pneumoniae D39 serotype 2 via intranasal (IN) and intratracheal (IT) routes. Data are means±SD. *P<0.05 versus IT infection at each time point.

• 

  Figure 2 Bacterial numbers in the nasopharynx (A), lung (B), and blood (C) of BALB/c mice infected with 2×107 CFU of S. pneumoniae D39 serotype 2 via intranasal (IN) and intratracheal (IT) routes. Data are means±SD. *P<0.05 versus IN or IT infection at each time point.

• 

  Figure 3 Survival rates (A, C, and E) and body weight changes (B, D, and F) of BALB/c, C57BL6J, IL-10 knockout, and TNF-α knockout mice. Mice were infected with 2×106 (A and B), 2×107 (C and D) and 2×108 (E and F) CFU of S. pneumoniae D39 serotype 2 via intranasal route. Data are means±SD.

• 

  Figure 4 Survival rates (A, C, and E) and body weight changes (B, D, and F) of BALB/c, C57BL6J, IL-10 knockout, and TNF-α knockout mice. Mice were infected with 2×102 (A and B), 2×103 (C and D) and 2×104 (E and F) CFU of S. pneumoniae D39 serotype 2 via intravenous route. Data are means±SD.

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