sepsis
- Molecular PathogenesisAntibody Binding and Complement-Mediated Killing of Invasive Haemophilus influenzae Isolates from Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands
Haemophilus influenzae is a Gram-negative bacterium that can be classified into typeable (types a through f) and nontypeable (NTHi) groups. This opportunistic pathogen asymptomatically colonizes the mucosal epithelium of the upper respiratory tract, from where it spreads to other neighboring regions, potentially leading to disease. Infection with NTHi can cause otitis...
- Minireview | SpotlightCan the Cecal Ligation and Puncture Model Be Repurposed To Better Inform Therapy in Human Sepsis?
A recent report by the National Institutes of Health on sepsis research has implied there is a trend to move away from mouse models of sepsis. The most commonly used animal model to study the pathogenesis of human sepsis is cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in mice. The model has been the mainstay of sepsis research for decades and continues to be considered the gold standard to inform novel pathways of sepsis physiology and its...
- MinireviewRole of β2 Integrins in Neutrophils and Sepsis
Sepsis remains medically challenging, with high morbidity and mortality. A novel intervention is urgently needed in the absence of specific, targeted therapy. Neutrophils act as double-edged swords in sepsis; they can help to eradicate microbes, but they also contribute to tissue injury. β2 integrins are critical adhesion molecules that regulate a number of neutrophil functions. β2 integrins consist of four members, namely, αLβ2, αMβ2,...
- Host Response and InflammationInflammatory Monocytes and Neutrophils Regulate Streptococcus suis-Induced Systemic Inflammation and Disease but Are Not Critical for the Development of Central Nervous System Disease in a Mouse Model of Infection
Streptococcus suis is an important porcine bacterial pathogen and zoonotic agent responsible for sudden death, septic shock, and meningitis. These pathologies are a consequence of elevated bacterial replication leading to exacerbated and uncontrolled inflammation, a hallmark of the S. suis systemic...
- Host Response and InflammationElevated Levels of Interleukin-27 in Early Life Compromise Protective Immunity in a Mouse Model of Gram-Negative Neonatal Sepsis
Neonates are at increased risk for bacterial sepsis. We established that the immune-suppressive cytokine interleukin-27 (IL-27) is elevated in neonatal mice. Similarly, human cord blood-derived macrophages express IL-27 genes and secrete more cytokine than macrophages from adults. In the present work, we hypothesized that increased levels of IL-27 predispose neonatal mice to more severe infection during Gram-negative sepsis. Serum IL-27...
- Host Response and InflammationInterleukin 17 Receptor E (IL-17RE) and IL-17C Mediate the Recruitment of Neutrophils during Acute Streptococcus pneumoniae Pneumonia
Neutrophils contribute to lung injury in acute pneumococcal pneumonia. The interleukin 17 receptor E (IL-17RE) is the functional receptor for the epithelial-derived cytokine IL-17C, which is known to mediate innate immune functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of IL-17RE/IL-17C to pulmonary inflammation in a mouse model of acute Streptococcus...
- Host Response and InflammationRole of Toll-Like Receptor 5 (TLR5) in Experimental Melioidosis
The Gram-negative intracellular pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, an important cause of sepsis in Southeast Asia. Recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) is essential for an appropriate immune response during pathogen invasion. In patients with melioidosis, TLR5 is the most abundantly...
- Host Response and Inflammation | SpotlightSpectrum of Trained Innate Immunity Induced by Low-Virulence Candida Species against Lethal Polymicrobial Intra-abdominal Infection
Polymicrobial intra-abdominal infections (IAI) are clinically prevalent and cause significant morbidity and mortality, especially those involving fungi. Our laboratory developed a mouse model of polymicrobial IAI and demonstrated that coinfection with Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus (...
- Host Response and InflammationNF-κB RelA Is Required for Hepatoprotection during Pneumonia and Sepsis
Pneumonia and sepsis are distinct but integrally linked public health concerns. The hepatic acute-phase response (APR), which is largely dependent on transcription factors NF-κB RelA and STAT3, is a hallmark of these pathologies and other injurious conditions. Inactivation of the APR can promote liver injury, a frequently observed organ dysfunction during sepsis. However, whether or how the acute-phase changes promote liver tissue...
- Host Response and InflammationYersinia pestis Exploits Early Activation of MyD88 for Growth in the Lungs during Pneumonic Plague
Yersinia pestis causes bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic plague. Although no longer responsible for pandemic outbreaks, pneumonic plague continues to be a challenge for medical treatment and has been classified as a reemerging disease in some parts of the world.