Essential role of choline for pneumococcal virulence in an experimental model of meningitis

Gehre, F.; Leib, Stephen L.; Grandgirard, Denis; Kummer, Jürg; Bühlmann, Angela; Simon, Franziska; Gäumann, R.; Kharat, A. S.; Täuber, Martin G.; Tomasz, A. (2008). Essential role of choline for pneumococcal virulence in an experimental model of meningitis. Internal medicine journal, 264(2), pp. 143-154. Sydney: Blackwell 10.1111/j.1365-2796.2008.01930.x

[img] Text
__nas-ifik.unibe.ch_ifik_Forschung_Gr_Leib_SHARED GROUP FOLDER_own papers_Gehre_et_al-2008-Journal_of_Internal_Medicine.pdf - Published Version
Restricted to registered users only
Available under License Publisher holds Copyright.

Download (366kB)

Objectives: The goal of the present study was to elucidate the contribution of the newly recognized virulence factor choline to the pathogenesis of Streptococcus pneumoniae in an animal model of meningitis. Results: The choline containing strain D39Cho(-) and its isogenic choline-free derivative D39Cho(-)licA64 -each expressing the capsule polysaccharide 2 - were introduced intracisternally at an inoculum size of 10(3) CFU into 11 days old Wistar rats. During the first 8 h post infection both strains multiplied and stimulated a similar immune response that involved expression of high levels of proinflammatory cytokines, the matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), IL-10, and the influx of white blood cells into the CSF. Virtually identical immune response was also elicited by intracisternal inoculation of 10(7) CFU equivalents of either choline-containing or choline-free cell walls. At sampling times past 8 h strain D39Cho(-) continued to replicate accompanied by an intense inflammatory response and strong granulocytic pleiocytosis. Animals infected with D39Cho(-) died within 20 h and histopathology revealed brain damage in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. In contrast, the initial immune response generated by the choline-free strain D39Cho(-)licA64 began to decline after the first 8 h accompanied by elimination of the bacteria from the CSF in parallel with a strong WBC response peaking at 8 h after infection. All animals survived and there was no evidence for brain damage. Conclusion: Choline in the cell wall is essential for pneumococci to remain highly virulent and survive within the host and establish pneumococcal meningitis.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Service Sector > Institute for Infectious Diseases > Research
04 Faculty of Medicine > Service Sector > Institute for Infectious Diseases

UniBE Contributor:

Leib, Stephen, Grandgirard, Denis, Kummer, Jürg, Bühlmann, Angela, Simon, Franziska, Täuber, Martin G.

ISSN:

1444-0903

ISBN:

18331292

Publisher:

Blackwell

Language:

English

Submitter:

Factscience Import

Date Deposited:

04 Oct 2013 14:59

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:18

Publisher DOI:

10.1111/j.1365-2796.2008.01930.x

PubMed ID:

18331292

Web of Science ID:

000257514600005

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.25697

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/25697 (FactScience: 60740)

Actions (login required)

Edit item Edit item
Provide Feedback