| First Author | Devlin AA | Year | 2017 |
| Journal | Immunobiology | Volume | 222 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 768-777 |
| PubMed ID | 28237664 | Mgi Jnum | J:325833 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6873657 | Doi | 10.1016/j.imbio.2017.02.004 |
| Citation | Devlin AA, et al. (2017) Il-10 deficient mice express IFN-gamma mRNA and clear Leptospira interrogans from their kidneys more rapidly than normal C57BL/6 mice. Immunobiology 222(5):768-777 |
| abstractText | Leptospira interrogans (L. interrogans), the causative agent of leptospirosis, is a widespread zoonotic spirochete that lives a dual lifestyle. L. interrogans infects mice, rats, and wildlife in a persistent and asymptomatic fashion, while also causing productive and acute infections in other mammals such as humans and hamsters. Infections in humans can be fatal, accompanied by a cytokine storm and shock-like symptoms. Production of IL-10 has been noted in both rodent and human infections which has led a number of investigators to hypothesize that IL-10 plays a role in the pathogenesis of this disease. To test this hypothesis we have compared bacteremia and the cytokine response of normal and IL-10 deficient C57Bl/6 mice following ip infection with L. interrogans. In normal mice bacterial 16s mRNA was detected in both lung and kidney tissues within a day after infection. Levels of 16s mRNA then dropped in both organs with complete elimination from the lung by day 3 but persistence in the kidney for 7days after infection. In contrast, in IL-10 deficient mice, the organism was eliminated more rapidly from the kidney. We found that infection of both control and IL-10 deficient mice produced similar levels of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNAs. On the other hand, IFN-gamma mRNA was only induced in IL-10 deficient mice. These results support the hypothesis that L. interrogans ability to induce IL-10, which in turn prevents production of IFN-gamma and inhibits T cell immunity, may contribute to the persistent growth of this microorganism in the murine kidney. |
