Effect of deficiency of tumor necrosis factor alpha or both of its receptors on Streptococcus pneumoniae central nervous system infection and peritonitis
A. Wellmer et al., Effect of deficiency of tumor necrosis factor alpha or both of its receptors on Streptococcus pneumoniae central nervous system infection and peritonitis, INFEC IMMUN, 69(11), 2001, pp. 6881-6886
Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and TNF-beta are key mediators in b
acterial inflammation. We therefore examined the role of TNF-alpha and its
two receptors in murine pneumococcal central nervous system infection. TNF-
alpha knockout mice and age- and sex-matched controls and TNF receptor (p55
and p75)-deficient mice and heterozygous littermates were infected intrace
rebrally with a Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 strain. Mice were monitored
until death or were killed 36 h after infection. Bacterial titers in blood
, spleen, and brain homogenates were determined. Leukocyte infiltration and
neuronal damage were assessed by histological scores. TNF-alpha -deficient
mice died earlier than the controls after intracerebral infection although
overall survival was similar. TNF-alpha deficiency did not inhibit leukocy
te, recruitment into the subarachnoid space and did not lead to an increase
d density of bacteria in brain homogenates. However, it caused a substantia
l rise of the concentration of S. pneumoniae cells in blood and spleen. Spl
een bacterial titers were also increased in p55- and p75-deficient mice. TN
F receptor-deficient mice showed decreased meningeal inflammation. Neuronal
damage was not affected by either TNF-alpha or TNT receptor deficiency. In
a murine model of pneumococcal peritonitis, 10(2) CFU of S. pneumoniae pro
duced fatal peritonitis in TNF-alpha -deficient, but not wild-type, mice. E
arly leukocyte influx into the peritoneum was impaired in TNF-alpha -defici
ent mice. The lack of TNF-alpha or its receptors renders mice more suscepti
ble to S. pneumoniae infections.