Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026
A Non-invasive and Technically Non-intensive Method for Induction and Phenotyping of Experimental Bacterial Pneumonia in Mice
Published on: September 28, 2016
Trace element balance is changed in infected organs during acute Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection in mice
Marie Edvinsson1, Peter Frisk, Ylva Molin
1Department of Medical Sciences, Infectious Diseases, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. marie.edvinsson@medsci.uu.se
Abstract:
Most infectious diseases are accompanied by changed levels of several trace elements in the blood. However, sequential changes in trace elements in tissues harbouring bacterial infections have not been studied. In the present study the respiratory pathogen Chlamydophila pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae), adapted to C57BL/6J mice, was used to study whether the balance of trace elements is changed in infected organs. Bacteria were quantitatively measured by real-time PCR in the blood, lungs, liver, aorta, and heart on days 2, 5, and 8 of the infection. Concentrations of 13 trace elements were measured in the liver, heart, and serum by inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (ICP-MS). Infected mice developed expected clinical signs of disease and bacteria were found in lungs, liver, and heart on all days. The number of bacteria peaked on day 2 in the heart and on day 5 in the liver. The copper/zinc (Cu/Zn) ratio in serum increased as a response to the infection. Cu increased in the liver but did not change in the heart. Iron (Fe) in serum decreased progressively, whereas in the heart it tended to increase, and in the liver it progressively increased. C. pneumoniae may thus cause a changed trace element balance in target tissues of infection that may be pivotal for bacterial growth.
Insights
This study reveals how bacterial infections, like Chlamydophila pneumoniae, alter trace element levels in organs. Understanding these changes in copper and iron balance is key to fighting infections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Trace Element Research
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Infectious diseases often cause altered blood trace element levels.
- Sequential trace element changes within infected tissues remain understudied.
- Chlamydophila pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) is a significant respiratory pathogen.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate trace element balance shifts in organs infected with C. pneumoniae.
- To correlate bacterial load with trace element concentrations in target tissues.
- To understand the role of trace elements in bacterial pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- C. pneumoniae infection model in C57BL/6J mice.
- Quantitative bacterial measurement using real-time PCR in blood and organs (lungs, liver, aorta, heart).
- Inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (ICP-MS) for measuring 13 trace elements in liver, heart, and serum.
Main Results:
- Bacteria were detected in lungs, liver, and heart throughout the 8-day infection period, peaking on days 2 (heart) and 5 (liver).
- Serum copper/zinc (Cu/Zn) ratio increased, while serum iron (Fe) decreased progressively.
- Liver copper (Cu) increased, and liver iron (Fe) increased progressively; heart iron (Fe) showed an increasing trend.
Conclusions:
- C. pneumoniae infection significantly alters trace element homeostasis in infected organs.
- Changes in copper and iron concentrations in the liver and heart may influence bacterial growth.
- Trace element dysregulation is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of C. pneumoniae infections.
More Related Videos
12:21A Mouse Model for the Transition of Streptococcus pneumoniae from Colonizer to Pathogen upon Viral Co-Infection Recapitulates Age-Exacerbated Illness
Published on: September 28, 2022
08:38Using a Bacterial Pathogen to Probe for Cellular and Organismic-level Host Responses
Published on: February 22, 2019