Induction of pneumonia in C57Bl/6 mice by intranasal inoculation with 10 6 cfu of Streptococcus pneumoniae resulted in sustained expression of interleukin (IL)-6 mRNA in lungs and increases in lung and plasma IL-6 concentrations. In IL-6-deficient (IL-60/0) mice, pneumonia was associated with higher lung levels of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-a, IL-1b, and interferon-g and of the antiinflammatory cytokine IL-10 than in wild type (IL-6///) mice (all P õ .05). Also, the plasma concentrations of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors were higher in IL-60/0 mice (P õ .05), while the acute-phase protein response was strongly attenuated (P õ .01). Lungs harvested from IL-60/0 mice 40 h after inoculation contained more S. pneumoniae colonies (P õ .05). IL-60/0 mice died significantly earlier from pneumococcal pneumonia than did IL-6/// mice (P õ .05). During pneumococcal pneumonia, IL-6 down-regulates the activation of the cytokine network in the lung and contributes to host defense.
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequent cause of community-acquired pneumonia. We sought to determine the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) in the pathogenesis of pneumococcal pneumonia. Induction of pneumonia in C57B1/6 mice by intranasal inoculation with 10(6) colony-forming units (cfu) S. pneumoniae resulted in a sustained increase in TNF activity in lung homogenates reaching a plateau between 12 and 72 h (72 h: 185.49 +/- 54.41 ng/g), while plasma TNF activity remained low or undetectable. Treatment with a neutralizing anti-TNF monoclonal antibody 2 h before inoculation strongly reduced lung TNF activity, but only modestly diminished lung interleukin (IL)-1beta levels, and did not significantly influence lung IL-6, IL-10, and interferon-gamma concentrations. Anti-TNF-treated mice had fourfold more S. pneumoniae cfu isolated from lungs than control mice 40 h after inoculation (p < 0.05), although lung myeloperoxidase activities were similar in both treatment groups. Anti-TNF-treated mice died significantly earlier from pneumococcal pneumonia than control mice (p < 0.05). Endogenously produced TNF is important for host defense during pneumococcal pneumonia.
Despite provision of adequate calories, defined formula diets in rats lead to bacterial translocation (BT), fatty infiltration of the liver, and an increased susceptibility to endotoxin. These deleterious effects may be due in part to a loss of intestinal barrier integrity resulting from bowel atrophy. Defined formula diets lack both glutamine and fiber, substances which may help maintain intestinal mass. To determine whether supplementation of defined formula diets with either glutamine or fiber might prevent bowel atrophy and, thus, BT, hepatic steatosis, and the altered response to endotoxin, Wistar rats were fed (1) defined formula diet ad libitum (DFD), (2) (DFD + 2% (w/v) glutamine, (GLUT), or (3) DFD + 2% (w/v) psyllium (FIBER). Rats given standard food isocalorically pair-fed to DFD were used as controls. Nutritional status was assessed by daily weight gain, as well as the ability to maintain serum albumin, hematocrit and white blood counts. After 2 weeks of these feeding regimens, animals were sacrificed, and organ weights and composition were determined, with rates of bacterial translocation determined by mesenteric lymph node, abdominal viscera, and cecal cultures. Additional animals receiving the same experimental diets were subsequently challenged with endotoxin and observed for mortality with rates of post-endotoxin BT and the responses of acute phase proteins and cytokines measured. All dietary regimens resulted in equivalent weight gain and other nutritional parameters. Both glutamine and fiber supplementation maintained small bowel mass, but only GLUT preserved normal jejunal mucosal architecture. Neither fiber nor glutamine supplementation prevented cecal bacterial overgrowth or BT, resulting from the DFD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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