Early cellular responses of germ-free and specific-pathogen-free mice to Francisella tularensis infection

• Published in: Microbial pathogenesis Vol. 123; pp. 314 - 322
• Main Authors: Krocova, Zuzana, Plzakova, Lenka, Benuchova, Milota, Macela, Ales, Kubelkova, Klara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2018
• Subjects: animal models; Animals; atomization; bacteria; Bacterial Vaccines - immunology; Cellular response; Cytokines - metabolism; Disease Models, Animal; etiological agents; Female; Francisella tularensis; Francisella tularensis - immunology; Francisella tularensis - pathogenicity; Germ-free; Germ-Free Life - immunology; Gnotobiont; Host-Pathogen Interactions - immunology; human population; humans; immunity; Immunity, Innate; Innate immunity; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microbiota; Peritoneum - microbiology; Peritoneum - pathology; risk; specific pathogen-free animals; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms - immunology; Spleen - microbiology; Spleen - pathology; tularemia; Tularemia - immunology; Tularemia - microbiology; Tularemia - pathology; vaccines; virulence; Gnotobiont; Innate immunity; Germ-free; Francisella tularensis; Cellular response
• ISSN: 0882-4010; 1096-1208; 1096-1208
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.07.036

Bacteria that are highly virulent, expressing high infectivity, and able to survive nebulization, pose great risk to the human population. One of these is Francisella tularensis, the etiological agent of tularemia. F. tularensis is a subject of intense scientific interest due to the fact that vaccines for its immunoprophylaxis in humans are not yet routinely available. One of the substantial obstacles in developing such vaccines is our insufficient knowledge of processes that initiate and regulate the expression of effective protective immunity against intracellular bacteria. Here, we present data documenting the different pattern of cellular behavior occurring in an environment unaffected by microbiota using the model of germ-free mice mono-associated with F. tularensis subsp. holarctica strain LVS in comparison with a classic specific-pathogen-free murine model during early stages of infection. •Different pattern of cellular behavior in the environment unaffected by microbiota.•Decisive role of primary interaction between the invading bacterium and the host cell.•Majority of changes in composition of cell subtypes occur during 12 h post infection.•Existence of a hierarchy of functional innate immune response modules.