Pulmonary vein aneurysm in a New Zealand White rabbit: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary venous aneurysm (PVA) is a rare condition characterized by aneurysmal dilatation of the pulmonary vein in humans. The diagnosis is incidental usually as there are no clinical symptoms. This case report describes a histological diagnosis of PVA in a New Zealand White rabbit. CASE PRESENTATION: A 1.5-kg male New Zealand White rabbit was acclimatized in an animal room for 5 weeks until the experiment began. However, the rabbit was found dead, with signs of nasal hemorrhage. Necropsy revealed tracheal and pulmonary hemorrhage, and the epistaxis had a pulmonary origin. PCR and ELISA to detect antigens and antibodies pertaining to the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus showed negative results. Multiple ballooning lesions (50-200 µm size) in the pulmonary veins were observed on histological examination, and PVA was diagnosed. Death was attributed to a spontaneous rupture of the PVA and massive hemorrhage into the lung parenchyma that extended into the trachea and nasal passages. CONCLUSIONS: To the author's best knowledge, this is the first report of a PVA in a rabbit.

Rag2 Deficiency Enhances Susceptibility to Systemic Mouse Adenovirus Type 1 Infection.

INTRODUCTION: Recombination-activating gene (Rag) 1 and Rag2, which are essential in V(D)J recombination, play a crucial role in B- and T-cell maturation. METHOD: We investigated the effects of Rag2 deficiency in clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas9-mediated FVB-Rag2 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice infected with mouse adenovirus type 1 (MAV-1) via the intranasal route. RESULTS: MAV-1 infection caused more severe histopathological changes in FVB-Rag2 KO mice than in WT mice. FVB-Rag2 KO mice exhibited moderate to severe inflammation on day 4 and severe inflammation on day 8 post infection. In contrast, WT mice showed mild inflammation on day 4 and mild to severe inflammation on day 8 post infection, including interstitial pneumonia and inflammatory cell infiltration in the lungs and liver. Viral loads in the spleen and kidneys were significantly higher in FVB-Rag2 KO mice than in WT mice on day 8 post infection. Levels of cytokines and chemokines, including macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, induced protein 10, interferon (IFN)-α, IFN-γ, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, were upregulated in the spleens of FVB-Rag2 KO mice compared with those of WT mice. The upregulation of several cytokines occurred concurrently with the histopathological changes. MAV-1 infection induced more severe systemic infection in FVB-Rag2 KO mice than in WT mice. CONCLUSION: In mice, Rag2 deficiency induces inflammatory cell recruitment via the upregulation of cytokine and chemokine levels. The MAV-1 infection model can be utilized to assess the efficacy and safety of therapeutic agents for human adenoviral diseases.

Detection of Chilomastix mesnili in Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) and Treatment with Metronidazole.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the use of common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) has increased in biomedical research as an animal model. This study aimed to test fecal samples to monitor bacterial and parasite infections in common marmoset at the Laboratory Animal Center of Osong Medical Innovation Foundation in Korea. METHODS: To monitor bacteria and parasites in common marmoset, we tested 43 fecal samples of 43 common marmosets by culture and parasitological test in 2014. Infection by Chilomastix mesnili was determined by PCR method. RESULTS: We identified nonpathogenic bacteria such as Proteus mirabilis and Escherichia coli in feces of normal common marmosets. Interestingly, C. mesnili was isolated from a healthy common marmoset by fecal centrifugation concentration and PCR. The monkey infected with C. mesnili was treated with metronidazole. After the treatment, C. mesnili were not found in feces using fecal centrifugation concentration and PCR. CONCLUSION: This is the first case report of C. mesnili infection in common marmoset. Treatment with metronidazole is found to be highly effective in eradicating C. mesnili infection in common marmoset.

Anti-obesity effect of robusta fermented with Leuconostoc mesenteroides in high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

Robusta beans cultivated with Monascus ruber (RMR) were successively fermented with Leuconostoc mesenteroides (LM) and the antiobesity effects were examined. To produce an obese mouse model to investigate the hypolipidemic effects, ICR mice were fed the same high-fat diet for 6 weeks. Treatment groups were given 10 or 20% RMR-LM. Body weight changes in the 20% RMR-LM group were lower compared with those in the control group. Visceral adipose tissue weight and adipose size were significantly lower in the 20% RMR-LM group compared with those in the control group. Significant improvement in glucose tolerance was observed in the 10 and 20% RMR-LM groups compared with the control group. The 20% RMR-LM group exhibited a significant reduction in serum glucose concentration. Hepatic mRNA levels of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1, fas cell surface death receptor, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, which are associated with lipid, and fatty acid metabolism, in the 20% RMR-LM group were significantly lower compared with those in the control group. The results of the present study demonstrated that 20% RMR-LM may be used to prevent obesity, and ameliorate diabetes and lipid metabolism imbalances.

Cooperative Interactions between Toll-Like Receptor 2 and Toll-Like Receptor 4 in Murine Klebsiella pneumoniae Infections.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic and clinically significant emerging pathogen. We investigated the relative roles of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and TLR4 in initiating host defenses against K. pneumoniae. TLR2 knockout (KO), TLR4 KO, TLR2/4 double KO (DKO), and wild-type (WT) mice were inoculated with K. pneumoniae. Mice in each group were sacrificed after either 12 or 24h, and the lungs, liver, and blood were harvested to enumerate bacterial colony-forming units (CFU). Cytokine and chemokine levels were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and real-time PCR, and pneumonia severity was determined by histopathological analysis. Survival was significantly shortened in TLR4 KO and TLR2/4 DKO mice compared with that of WT mice after infection with 5 × 103 CFU. TLR2 KO mice were more susceptible to infection than WT mice after exposure to a higher infectious dose. Bacterial burdens in the lungs and liver were significantly higher in TLR2/4 DKO mice than in WT mice. Serum TNF-α, MCP-1, MIP-2, and nitric oxide levels were significantly decreased in TLR2/4 DKO mice relative to those in WT mice, and TLR2/4 DKO mice showed significantly decreased levels of TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, and inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA in the lung compared with those in WT mice. Collectively, these data indicate that TLR2/4 DKO mice were more susceptible to K. pneumoniae infection than single TLR2 KO and TLR4 KO mice. These results suggest that TLR2 and TLR4 play cooperative roles in lung innate immune responses and bacterial dissemination, resulting in systemic inflammation during K. pneumoniae infection.

Knockout of krüppel-like factor 10 suppresses hepatic cell proliferation in a partially hepatectomized mouse model.

The liver has marked regenerative capabilities, and numerous signaling pathways are involved in liver regeneration. The transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß)/Smad pathway, which is also involved in liver regeneration, regulates numerous biological processes. Krüppel-like factor 10 (KLF10) has been reported to activate the TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway; however, the exact functions of KLF10 under various pathophysiological conditions remain unclear. In the present study, the role of KLF10 in liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy (PH) was investigated using KLF10-knockout (KO) mice. KLF10-KO mice exhibited lower liver/body weight ratios and 5-bromo-2-deoxy-uridine labeling indices compared with wild-type (WT) mice, and significant differences (P=0.028) were obtained at 72 h after PH. To understand the causes of the gross and histopathological findings, the expression levels of the components of the TGF-ß/Smad pathway were examined using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. The mRNA and protein levels of Smad3, p15, TGF-ß1 and TGF-ß receptor 1 were significantly increased, while those of cMyc and cyclin D1 (proliferation-associated genes) were significantly lower in the liver tissues of the KLF10-KO mice compared with those of the WT mice at 72 h post-PH. These results indicated that KLF10-KO may exhibit antiproliferative effects on liver regeneration following PH, through strengthening the TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway in a delayed manner.

Establishment of a mouse model of 70% lethal dose by total-body irradiation.

Whereas increasing concerns about radiation exposure to nuclear disasters or side effects of anticancer radiotherapy, relatively little research for radiation damages or remedy has been done. The purpose of this study was to establish level of LD70/30 (a lethal dose for 70% of mice within 30 days) by total-body γ irradiation (TBI) in a mouse model. For this purpose, at first, 8-week-old male ICR and C57BL/6N mice from A and B companies were received high dose (10, 11, 12 Gy) TBI. After irradiation, the body weight and survival rate were monitored for 30 days consecutively. In next experiment, 5-week-old male ICR and C57BL/6N mice from B company were received same dose irradiation. Results showed that survival rate and body weight change rate in inbred C57BL/6N mice were similar between A and B company. In ICR mice, however, survival rate and body weight change rate were completely different among the companies. Significant difference of survival rate both ICR and C57BL6N mice was not observed in between 5-week-old and 8-week-old groups receiving 10 or 12 Gy TBI. Our results indicate that the strain and age of mice, and even purchasing company (especially outbred), should be matched over experimental groups in TBI experiment. Based on our results, 8-week-old male ICR mice from B company subjected to 12 Gy of TBI showed LD70/30 and suitable as a mouse model for further development of new drug using the ideal total-body irradiation model.

Physiological and Molecular Response of Prorocentrum minimum to Tannic Acid: An Experimental Study to Evaluate the Feasibility of Using Tannic Acid in Controling the Red Tide in a Eutrophic Coastal Water.

Bioassay and gene expression experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the growth and physiology of Prorocentrum minimum isolated from a eutrophic coastal water in response to tannic acid. In the bioassay experiments, variations in abundance, chlorophyll (chl) a concentration, maximum fluorescence (in vivo Fm), and photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) were measured over the course of a seven-day incubation. Moreover, stress-related gene expression in both the control and an experimental (2.5 ppm TA treatment) group was observed for 24 h and 48 h. The molecular markers used in this study were the heat shock proteins (Hsp70 and Hsp90) and cyclophilin (CYP). The findings show that P. minimum can thrive and grow at low concentrations (<2.5 ppm) of tannic acid, and, above this concentration, cells begin to slow down development. In addition, TA concentration of 10 ppm halted photosynthetic activity. At the molecular level, treatment with tannic acid increased the expression of Hsp70, Hsp90, and CYP, and heat shock proteins are more upregulated than the cyclophilin gene. Exposure to tannic acid increased the expression of stress factors over time (48 h) by 10- to 27-fold the expression level of the control group. These results suggest that tannic acid can be used to control harmful algal blooms such as those containing P. minimum in eutrophic coastal waters.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha deficiency impairs host defense against Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen that is involved in community-acquired pneumonia. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that activates immune responses against infection, invasion, injury, or inflammation. To study the role of TNF-α during S. pneumoniae infection, a murine pneumococcal pneumonia model was used. We intranasally infected C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) and TNF-α knockout (KO) mice with S. pneumoniae D39 serotype 2. In TNF-α KO mice, continuous and distinct loss of body weight, and low survival rates were observed. Bacterial counts in the lungs and blood of TNF-α KO mice were significantly higher than those in WT mice. Histopathological lesions in the spleen of TNF-α KO mice were more severe than those in WT mice. In TNF-α KO mice, severe depletion of white pulp was observed and the number of apoptotic cells was significantly increased. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), IL-12p70 and IL-10 levels in serum were significantly increased in TNF-α KO mice. TNF-α is clearly involved in the regulation of S. pneumoniae infections. Early death and low survival rates of TNF-α KO mice were likely caused by a combination of impaired bacterial clearance and damage to the spleen. Our findings suggest that TNF-α plays a critical role in protecting the host from systemic S. pneumoniae infection.

Krüppel-like factor 10 null mice exhibit lower tumor incidence and suppressed cellular proliferation activity following chemically induced liver tumorigenesis.

Liver cancer is the third most common cancer, and the incidence as well as the mortality rate of liver cancer are on the increase. There are many signaling pathways that are involved in hepatic tumorigenesis. One of these pathways, the transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß)/Smad pathway with KLF10, has been reported to suppress cellular proliferation in most cases. However, the actual functions of KLF10 in various pathophysiological conditions are still fragmentary and unclear. In the present study, the practical role of KLF10 in DEN-induced hepatic carcinogenesis, was elucidated using KLF10 null mice. In the necropsy and histopathological analysis, KLF10 KO mice exhibited lower tumor incidence and PCNA labeling indices than these values in the wild-type mice. Additional analyses revealed that the mRNA and protein levels of Smad3, TGF-ß1, TGF-ß RI and p15 were increased in the tumor tissues of the KLF10 KO mice, while those of cMyc and cyclin D1 were downregulated. The level of phospho-Smad3 was also significantly higher in the tumor tissues of the KLF10 KO mice. All together, the KLF10 KO condition may reinforce the TGF-ß­Smad signaling pathway and confer tumor-suppressor effects against chemically induced liver tumorigenesis.

H9 Inhibits Tumor Growth and Induces Apoptosis via Intrinsic and Extrinsic Signaling Pathway in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Xenografts.

H9, a novel herbal extract, demonstrated cytotoxicity in A549 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. In this study, we investigated whether H9, and/or co-treatment with an anticancer drug, pemetrexed (PEM), inhibited tumor growth in BALB/c nude mice models bearing A549 NSCLC cells. The mice were separated into groups and administered H9 and PEM for 2 weeks. Protein and mRNA levels were detected using western blotting and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, respectively; immunohistochemistry (IHC) was also performed on the tumor tissues. H9 and co-treatment with PEM induced the cleavage of proapoptotic factors, such as caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, and poly(ADP)-ribose polymerase (PARP). Expression levels of cell-death receptors involving Fas/FasL, TNF-related apoptosisinducing ligands (TRAIL), and TRAIL receptors were increased by H9 and co-treatment with PEM. Furthermore, analysis of levels of cell-cycle modulating proteins indicated that tumor cells were arrested in the G1/S phase. In addition, the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt survival signaling pathways were inhibited by H9 and co-treatment with PEM. In conclusion, H9 and co-treatment with PEM inhibited tumor growth in BALB/c nude mice models bearing A549 NSCLC cells. These results indicate that H9 and co-treatment with PEM can be used as an anticancer therapy in NSCLC.

Therapeutic effects of lentivirus-mediated shRNA targeting of cyclin D1 in human gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in males and the fourth in females. Traditional treatment has poor prognosis because of recurrence and systemic side effects. Therefore, the development of new therapeutic strategies is an important issue. Lentivirus-mediated shRNA stably inhibits target genes and can efficiently transduce most cells. Since overexpressed cyclin D1 is closely related to human gastric cancer progression, inhibition of cyclin D1 using specific targeting could be an effective treatment method of human gastric cancer. METHODS: The therapeutic effect of lentivirus-mediated shRNA targeting of cyclin D1 (ShCCND1) was analyzed both in vitro and in vivo experiments. RESULTS: In vitro, NCI-N87 cells with downregulation of cyclin D1 by ShCCND1 showed significant inhibition of cell proliferation, cell motility, and clonogenicity. Downregulation of cyclin D1 in NCI-N87 cells also resulted in significantly increased G1 arrest and apoptosis. In vivo, stable NCI-N87 cells expressing ShCCND1 were engrafted into nude mice. Then, the cancer-growth inhibition effect of lentivirus was confirmed. To assess lentivirus including ShCCND1 as a therapeutic agent, intratumoral injection was conducted. Tumor growth of the lentivirus-treated group was significantly inhibited compared to growth of the control group. These results are in accordance with the in vitro data and lend support to the mitotic figure count and apoptosis analysis of the tumor mass. CONCLUSION: The lentivirus-mediated ShCCND1 was constructed, which effectively inhibited growth of NCI-N87-derived cancer both in vitro and in vivo. The efficiency of shRNA knockdown and variation in the degree of inhibition is mediated by different shRNA sequences and cancer cell lines. These experimental results suggest the possibility of developing new gastric cancer therapies using lentivirus-mediated shRNA.

Lentivirus-mediated shRNA targeting of cyclin D1 enhances the chemosensitivity of human gastric cancer to 5-fluorouracil.

Gastric cancer is one of the major public health problems. Despite new chemotherapeutic treatments, the prognosis of gastric cancer remains poor. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is used as a standard chemotherapy drug in gastric cancer. However, 5-FU resistance develops frequently and is a main cause of chemotherapy failure in human gastric cancer. Overexpression of cyclin D1 is related to rapid cell growth, a poor prognosis and increased chemoresistance in several types of cancers. In this study, we investigated whether treatment of gastric cancer cells with shRNA targeting cyclin D1 (ShCCND1) or 5-FU, alone or in combination, influences the activation of phosphorylated AKT (pAKT) and pNFκB, which are markers that are increased in 5-FU chemoresistance. We also investigated the effect of combined treatment with ShCCND1 and 5-FU on cell growth and chemosensitivity to 5-FU in the gastric cancer cell line AGS. The data showed that ShCCND1-mediated cyclin D1 downregulation in AGS cells significantly inhibited cell proliferation, cell mobility and clonogenicity. In addition, combined treatment with ShCCND1 and 5-FU significantly decreased the survival rate of AGS cells, compared to single-treatment with either agent. These results demonstrated that ShCCND1 increases 5-FU chemosensitivity, a conclusion that is also supported by the concomitant reduction in expression of pAKT and pNFκB, increase of G1 arrest and induction of apoptosis. Taken together, these data provide further evidence that therapeutic strategies targeting cyclin D1 may have the dual advantage of suppressing the growth of cancer cells, while enhancing their chemosensitivity.

Rapid identification of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Corynebacterium kutscheri, and Streptococcus pneumoniae using triplex polymerase chain reaction in rodents.

Klebsiella pneumoniae, Corynebacterium kutscheri, and Streptococcus pneumoniae are important pathogens that cause respiratory infections in laboratory rodents. In this study, we used species-specific triplex PCR analysis to directly detect three common bacterial pathogens associated with respiratory diseases. Specific targets were amplified with conventional PCR using the tyrB gene from K. pneumoniae, gyrB gene from C. kutscheri, and ply gene from S. pneumoniae. Our primers were tested against purified DNA from another eleven murine bacteria to determine primer specificity. Under optimal PCR conditions, the triplex assay simultaneously yielded a 931 bp product from K. pneumoniae, a 540 bp product from C. kutscheri, and a 354 bp product from S. pneumoniae. The triplex assay detection thresholds for pure cultures were 10 pg for K. pneumoniae and S. pneumoniae, and 100 pg for C. kutscheri. All three bacteria were successfully identified in the trachea and lung of experimentally infected mice at the same time. Our triplex PCR method can be used as a useful method for detecting pathogenic bacterial infections in laboratory rodents.

Canonical Wnt signaling pathway plays an essential role in N-methyl-N-nitrosurea induced gastric tumorigenesis of mice.

Deregulated Wnt signaling pathway is implicated in many hereditary diseases and tumorigenesis including colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and gastric cancer. In this study, to assess the relationship between chemically induced gastric tumor and canonical Wnt signaling pathway in genetically intact mice, histopathological and quantitative mRNA analyses were performed in C57BL/6J mice given drinking water containing N-methyl- N-nitrosurea (MNU). 60.5% of gastric adenoma and 27.9% of adenocarcinoma were observed 48 weeks after first administration. Also, in immunohistochemical analysis, aberrant expressions of phospho-GSK-3ß, ß-catenin, cyclin D1, c-Myc, osteopontin and COX-2 were found. In double immunofluorescent-antibody stains, ß-catenin accumulation was colocalized with other proteins. mRNA levels of cyclin D1, c-myc and COX-2 were relatively higher in adenocarcinoma. Altogether, canonical Wnt pathway was highly involved in MNU induced gastric neoplasia of C57BL/6J mice, and it could be a considerably suitable system for the study to examine the linkage between gastric tumorigenesis and the canonical Wnt pathway.

Modulation of immune response by interleukin-10 in systemic Corynebacterium kutscheri infection in mice.

Interleukin (IL)-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that modulates sepsis by decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokine production and chemokine expression. In this study, IL-10-deficient and wild-type (WT) mice were infected with Corynebacterium kutscheri to determine if the absence of IL-10 altered the protective immunity and pathogenesis. After infection, IL-10 knockout (KO) mice had a higher survival rate than WT mice. The decrease of body weight and the increased weight of organs such as liver and spleen were greater in WT mice. Bacterial counts were significantly increased after inoculation in WT mice over those in IL-10 KO mice. WT mice had more granulomatous inflammation and coagulative necrosis in the liver and spleen, lymphocyte depletion in lymphoid follicles, and apoptosis of immune cells in the spleen. WT mice had significantly higher plasma concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. Furthermore, more upregulation of tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-4 in the plasma, macrophage inflammatory protein-2, keratinocyte-derived chemokine, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and interferon-inducible protein 10 mRNA in the spleen were observed in WT mice after inoculation. These results suggest that the lack of IL-10 contributes to an increase in the systemic clearance of C. kutscheri, and that IL-10 plays a detrimental role in controlling systemic C. kutscheri infection.

IL-10 suppresses bactericidal response of macrophages against Salmonella Typhimurium.

We report, herein, an attempt to determine whether an IL-10-induced immunological state affects the response of macrophages against Salmonella Typhimurium (ST). Pretreatment with mrIL-10 induced the intracellular invasion of ST into macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. It also activated AKT phosphorylation, cyclin D1, Bcl-X(L), and COX-2 upon ST infection, which may correlate with Salmonella's survival within the macrophages. However, I-κB phosphorylation was shown to be inhibited, along with the expression of TNF-α and MIP-2α mRNA. Therefore, IL-10 not only suppresses the bactericidal response of macrophages against ST, but also ultimately causes infected macrophages to function as hosts for ST replication.

Difference in Resistance to Streptococcus pneumoniae Infection in Mice.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major pathogen that causes various diseases, including pneumonia and sepsis, as millions of people suffer from S. pneumoniae infection worldwide. To better understand the immune and inflammatory responses to S. pneumoniae, we produced murine models. To investigate the differences between intranasal and intratracheal infection, BALB/c mice were infected with S. pneumoniae D39 intranasally or intratracheally. Mice showed no significant differences in survival rates, body weight changes, and bacterial loads. To investigate resistance and susceptibility among mouse strains, BALB/c, C57BL/6J, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) knockout, and interleukin-10 (IL-10) knockout mice were infected with S. pneumoniae D39 via intranasal or intravenous routes. In this study, BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice were resistant, IL-10 knockout mice were intermediate, and TNF-α knokout mice were susceptible to S. pneumoniae infection. These data show that intranasal and intratracheal infection induced similar results after S. pneumoniae infection, and the genetic background of mice must be considered when studying S. pneumoniae infection in vivo.

Triplex PCR for the simultaneous detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Helicobacter hepaticus, and Salmonella typhimurium.

The accurate and economical diagnosis of pathogenic bacteria is necessary for the microbiological control of laboratory animals. In this study, we developed a triplex PCR method for the direct detection of three common gastroenteric bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Helicobacter hepaticus, and Salmonella typhimurium. Targets were specifically amplified by conventional PCR assay using a genomic fragment from P. aeruginosa, 16S ribosomal RNA from H. hepaticus, and the invA gene from S. typhimurium. To investigate the specificity of our primers, they were tested against purified DNA from many other bacterial species. There were no amplification products from other bacteria. Under optimized conditions, the triplex assay simultaneously yielded a 726-bp product from P. aeruginosa, a 417-bp product from H. hepaticus, and a 246-bp product from S. typhimurium. The detection limits of this assay in pure culture were 10 pg for P. aeruginosa, and 0.1 pg for H. hepaticus and S. typhimurium. All three bacteria were successfully detected in the liver, cecum, and feces of experimentally infected mice. This method is a useful and convenient assay that allows the simultaneous identification of bacterial pathogens in mice. Our triplex method will be used to improve quality control in the detection of pathogenic bacterial infections in laboratory animal facilities.

Role of IL-10 deficiency in pneumonia induced by Corynebacterium kutscheri in mice.

IL-10 is an important anti-inflammatory cytokine that can inhibit the production of many pro-inflammatory cytokines. Both human and animal studies have shown that pro-inflammatory cytokines play an important role in pneumonia and other inflammatory lung diseases. In the present study, IL-10 knockout (KO) and wild-type mice were infected with Corynebacterium kutscheri to determine whether the severity of pathogenesis and whether protective immunity could be altered in the absence of IL- 10. The survival rate was significantly lower in IL-10 KO mice than wild-type mice. The number of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood were found to be higher in IL-10 KO mice than wild-type mice. IL-10 KO mice showed greater neutrophil infiltration, excessive inflammation, and weight-loss compared with wild-type mice. Furthermore, upregulation of IFN-gamma in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and upregulation of MIP-1alpha and IP-10 mRNA in the lungs of IL-10 KO mice compared with wild-type mice after C. kutscheri infection were observed. These results suggest that IL-10 plays an important role in the anti-inflammatory properties against C. kutscheri infection, and that lack of IL-10 leads to a more severe pulmonary inflammatory response. This increased susceptibility to C. kutscheri pneumonia is at least in part caused by IL-10 deficiency and severe recruitment of neutrophils.