Delayed onset of systemic bacterial dissemination and subsequent death in mice injected intramuscularly with Streptococcus pyogenes strains.

Streptococcus pyogenes causes severe invasive diseases in humans, including necrotizing fasciitis, sepsis, and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS). We found that mice infected intramuscularly (i.m.) with S. pyogenes strains developed bacteremia and subsequent sudden death after at least 10 days of a convalescent period. Mostly, it occurred more than 21 days after muscle infection. We provisionally designate this phenomenon as "delayed death." Just after muscle infection, all the mice lost weight and activity, but recovered completely within 3 days. They had kept good activity and a fine coat of fur till one or two days before their death. Some of the dead mice were found to have soft-tissue necrosis. There was no correlation between the virulence leading to the delayed death and the severity of diseases from which strains were isolated. It was also found that the production of neither streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin (SPE) A nor B correlated to the virulence leading to delayed death. The bacteria obtained from the organs of the mice with delayed death expressed capsule. We suggest that the mice with delayed onset of systemic bacterial dissemination and subsequent death after muscle infection with S. pyogenes are the animal models of STSS, because the pathophysiology is extremely similar to that of human STSS.

Distinct distribution of protein disulfide isomerase family proteins in rat tissues.

We investigated the distribution of protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) family proteins PDI, ERp72, and ERp61 in rat tissues and compared their localization by immunohistochemical double staining. The extent of their expression was diverse in different cell types, although they were ubiquitously distributed in a wide variety of cell types. Prominent staining for all three proteins was detected in thyroid follicular epithelia, tracheal mucous gland cells and chondrocytes, and chief cells and mucous neck cells of the stomach. Hepatocytes, neuronal cells in brain and spinal cord, and pancreatic acinar cells were also consistently and uniformly stained, but with low intensity. On the other hand, distinct differences were observed for the expression of the three proteins in plasma cells, pancreatic islet cells, goblet cells, and Paneth's cells of intestines, seminiferous epithelia, and salivary gland ductal epithelia. The similarities and differences in the distribution of the three proteins provide helpful clues to their biological functions.