MICE LACKING REDUCED NICOTINAMIDE ADENINE-DINUCLEOTIDE PHOSPHATE OXIDASE ACTIVITY SHOW INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO EARLY INFECTION WITH LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES

Mice lacking the gp91 protein of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleo tide phosphate oxidase showed heightened susceptibility to Listeria in fection. The enhanced susceptibility was noted 2 days after infection, the usual peak time of the neutrophil-dependent lesion in the liver, Infected gp91(phox) -/- mice had an increase of similar to 30-fold in Listeria in the liver and an increase in the number of microabscesses, The study of the gp91(phox) mice underscores the early role of the ne utrophil and of an oxidative hurst in this infection with an intracell ular pathogen. These results contrast with others showing that the lat e macrophage-dependent stage of the infection is dependent on nitric o xide.