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Simplified Whole Body Plethysmography to Characterize Lung Function During Respiratory Melioidosis
Published on: February 24, 2023
Gene-expression profiles in murine melioidosis.
W Joost Wiersinga1, Mark C Dessing, Tom van der Poll
1Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. w.j.wiersinga@amc.uva.nl
Microbes and Infection
|July 26, 2008
Summary
This study reveals widespread inflammatory gene activation in the lungs and blood of mice infected with Burkholderia pseudomallei, the cause of melioidosis. These findings enhance understanding of melioidosis inflammation in both pulmonary and systemic compartments.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Melioidosis, a severe septicemic illness caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, frequently involves pneumonia and systemic bacterial spread.
- Previous research characterized inflammatory mRNA profiles in human melioidosis blood leukocytes, but pulmonary inflammation remained poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the inflammatory mRNA expression profile in both pulmonary and systemic compartments during murine melioidosis.
- To compare gene expression in lung tissue, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) leukocytes, and blood leukocytes.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of a mouse-specific Multiplex-Ligation-dependent-Probe-Amplification (MLPA) assay.
- Analysis of 33 genes related to inflammation, immune signaling, coagulation, and tissue repair.
- Intranasal infection of mice with B. pseudomallei and sampling at multiple time points.
Main Results:
- Infected mice exhibited significantly increased transcription of numerous inflammatory genes in the lung, BALF, and blood compared to controls.
- Upregulated genes were involved in inflammation, Toll-like receptor signaling, coagulation, fibrinolysis, cell adhesion, tissue repair, and homeostasis.
- Differential gene expression patterns were observed throughout the course of the infection.
Conclusions:
- This study provides novel insights into compartmentalized inflammatory gene expression in melioidosis.
- The findings highlight extensive inflammatory activation in both pulmonary and systemic compartments during B. pseudomallei infection.
- Understanding these profiles is crucial for elucidating the pathogenesis of melioidosis.
