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Increased Susceptibility to Escherichia coli Infection in Mice Pretreated with Corynebacterium parvum
Author(s) -
Yoshikai Yasunobu,
Miake Shunji,
Sano Masatoshi,
Nomoto Kikuo
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0385-5600
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1983.tb03589.x
Subject(s) - microbiology and biotechnology , escherichia coli , biology , escherichia coli infection , lipopolysaccharide , spleen , bacteria , in vitro , listeria infection , cytotoxic t cell , incubation , corynebacterium parvum , listeria monocytogenes , listeria , immunology , biochemistry , genetics , gene
The contribution of activated macrophages to protection against Escherichia coli was studied in mice treated intravenously with Corynebacterium parvum 7 days before infection. C. parvum ‐treated mice showed increased phagocytic activity and enhanced resistance to Listeria infection. In contrast, these mice showed increased susceptibility to a subsequent challenge with E. coli that correlated closely with a reduction in the LD50 of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in these mice. The peritoneal macrophages obtained from C. parvum ‐treated mice had a strong ability to phagocytize and kill E. coli in in vitro experiments. A rapid decline in the number of bacteria in the liver of C. parvum ‐treated mice was observed in the early period of infection. However, the number of bacteria in liver and spleen increased progressively to a lethal dose from 6 hr after infection. At this time, a significant increase in β‐glucuronidase, a lysosomal acid hydrolase, was found in the serum of these mice. In vitro experiments revealed that the peritoneal macrophages from C. parvum ‐treated mice were highly susceptible to the cytotoxic effect of LPS after 6 hr of incubation with LPS. It is suggested that the hypersensitivity of activated macrophages to the cytotoxic effect of endotoxin derived from E. coli may be partly responsible for the increased susceptibility of C. parvum ‐treated mice to E. coli infection.