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Updated: May 11, 2026
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Measuring Bacterial Load and Immune Responses in Mice Infected with Listeria monocytogenes
Published on: August 9, 2011
Age-dependent differences in systemic and cell-autonomous immunity to L. monocytogenes
Ashley M Sherrid1, Tobias R Kollmann
1Division of Infectious & Immunological Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, CFRI Rm. A5-147, 938 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4.
Clinical & Developmental Immunology
|May 9, 2013
Summary
Newborns face higher risks from Listeria monocytogenes due to immature cell-autonomous immunity in monocytes. This review explores age-related differences in immune responses to this bacterial infection.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neonatal Health
Background:
- Host defense involves systemic and cell-autonomous immunity.
- Systemic immunity is vital for multicellular organisms.
- Listeria monocytogenes infection risk is high in newborns, but human data is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review age-dependent differences in immunity to Listeria monocytogenes.
- To investigate the role of cell-autonomous immunity in neonatal susceptibility.
- To bridge findings from murine models to human newborns.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on Listeria monocytogenes immunity.
- Analysis of systemic innate and adaptive immune responses.
- Focus on cell-autonomous immunity in monocytes.
Main Results:
- Monocytes are central to both innate and adaptive immunity against Listeria.
- Neonatal susceptibility is linked to age-dependent deficits in monocyte cell-autonomous immunity.
- Systemic immune response findings in mice may not fully translate to human newborns.
Conclusions:
- Age-dependent differences in cell-autonomous immunity of monocytes contribute to increased neonatal risk of Listeria monocytogenes.
- Further research is needed to fully understand and address neonatal immune deficiencies.
- Cell-autonomous immunity is a critical factor in controlling Listeria infection at the cellular level.
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