Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Come to the Light Side: In Vivo Monitoring of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Infections in Chronic Wounds in a Diabetic Hairless Murine Model
09:15

Come to the Light Side: In Vivo Monitoring of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Infections in Chronic Wounds in a Diabetic Hairless Murine Model

Published on: October 10, 2017

VIP promotes resistance in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected cornea by modulating adhesion molecule expression

Elizabeth A Berger1, Sharon A McClellan, Ronald P Barrett

  • 1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. eberger@med.wayne.edu

Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
|July 2, 2010
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) treatment significantly reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected corneas by downregulating adhesion molecules, promoting corneal healing and resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Immunology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Bacterial keratitis, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, can lead to significant corneal damage and vision loss.
  • Inflammatory cell infiltration, mediated by adhesion molecules, plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of infectious keratitis.
  • Neuropeptides are increasingly recognized for their immunomodulatory roles in various tissues, including the eye.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in modulating the immune response during Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis.
  • To determine if VIP affects adhesion molecule expression and inflammatory cell migration into the infected cornea.
  • To assess the impact of VIP treatment on corneal healing and resistance to infection.

Main Methods:

  • B6 mice were infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and treated with daily intraperitoneal injections of VIP or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS).
  • Adhesion molecule expression was analyzed at the mRNA level using PCR arrays and real-time RT-PCR.
  • Protein levels of key adhesion molecules were confirmed using ELISA and immunofluorescent staining.

Main Results:

  • VIP treatment led to significant downregulation of mRNA for intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), P-selectin, and L-selectin.
  • Protein analysis confirmed reduced levels of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in VIP-treated mice.
  • Immunofluorescence demonstrated decreased corneal expression of ICAM-1/LFA-1 and VCAM-1/VLA-4 complexes.

Conclusions:

  • VIP treatment effectively downregulates adhesion molecules crucial for inflammatory cell transmigration into the infected cornea.
  • This reduction in adhesion molecule expression leads to decreased polymorphonuclear neutrophil and macrophage infiltration.
  • VIP administration results in reduced corneal stromal destruction and improved disease outcomes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis.

More Related Videos

Visualizing the Effects of Sputum on Biofilm Development Using a Chambered Coverglass Model05:03

Visualizing the Effects of Sputum on Biofilm Development Using a Chambered Coverglass Model

Published on: December 14, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types –  adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as  epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as  heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...