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Effect of anesthetics on pathogenesis of experimentally induced murine pneumococcal pneumonia
1Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, USA.
Background And Purpose:
To define the effects of three commonly used anesthetic agents--sodium pentobarbital given intraperitoneally, and inhaled halothane and methoxyflurane--on the pathogenesis of pneumococcal pneumonia and bacteremia in an experimental murine model.
Methods:
Swiss outbred mice were anesthetized with either sodium pentobarbital, halothane, or methoxyflurane before intranasal infection with Streptococcus pneumonia. At defined times after infection, bacterial numbers in lungs and blood, markers of acute lung injury, and lung cytokine levels were compared.
Results:
Mice anesthetized with inhaled halothane or methoxyflurane prior to intranasal inoculation with type-2 Streptococcus pneumoniae developed pneumonia and bacteremia distinctly different from that in mice anesthetized by intraperitoneal (IP) administration of sodium pentobarbital. Mice having brief exposure to inhaled halothane or methoxyflurane had significantly greater numbers of bacteria in lungs and blood 48 hours after inoculation, compared with mice anesthetized by IP administration of pentobarbital. Also, mice inhaling halothane had significantly decreased activities of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in lung homogenates at 24 hours after inoculation, compared with those given pentobarbital IP.
Conclusion:
Effects of anesthesia on murine models of pneumonia should be considered in the design and interpretation of studies of pneumococcal pathogenesis.
Insights
Anesthesia choice impacts pneumococcal pneumonia models. Inhaled anesthetics like halothane and methoxyflurane increased bacterial load and altered cytokine response compared to intraperitoneal sodium pentobarbital in mice.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Anesthesiology
Background:
- Pneumococcal pneumonia and bacteremia are significant health concerns.
- Murine models are crucial for studying disease pathogenesis.
- Anesthesia is a necessary component of experimental procedures in animal models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of commonly used anesthetic agents on pneumococcal pneumonia and bacteremia.
- To compare the effects of intraperitoneal sodium pentobarbital versus inhaled halothane and methoxyflurane.
- To define how anesthesia influences the pathogenesis of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in mice.
Main Methods:
- Swiss outbred mice were used in the experimental model.
- Mice were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (intraperitoneal), halothane, or methoxyflurane (inhaled).
- Intranasal inoculation with Streptococcus pneumoniae was performed, followed by analysis of bacterial load, lung injury markers, and cytokine levels.
Main Results:
- Inhaled halothane and methoxyflurane led to significantly higher bacterial numbers in lungs and blood compared to intraperitoneal sodium pentobarbital.
- Mice exposed to halothane showed decreased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha).
- Anesthesia significantly influenced the host response to pneumococcal infection.
Conclusions:
- The choice of anesthetic agent can significantly affect the outcomes of experimental studies on pneumococcal pathogenesis.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering anesthesia effects in the design and interpretation of murine pneumonia models.
- Anesthesia-induced alterations in immune response may confound results in studies of bacterial pathogenesis.