Loading…

Bacillus anthracis cell wall produces injurious inflammation but paradoxically decreases the lethality of anthrax lethal toxin in a rat model

Objectives The in vivo inflammatory effects of the Bacillus anthracis cell wall are unknown. We therefore investigated these effects in rats and, for comparison, those of known inflammatory stimulants, Staphylococcus aureus cell wall or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Method and Results Sprague–Dawley rat...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Intensive care medicine 2010-01, Vol.36 (1), p.148-156
Main Authors: Cui, Xizhong, Su, Junwu, Li, Yan, Shiloach, Joseph, Solomon, Steven, Kaufman, Jeanne B., Mani, Haresh, Fitz, Yvonne, Weng, Jia, Altaweel, Laith, Besch, Virginia, Eichacker, Peter Q.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Objectives The in vivo inflammatory effects of the Bacillus anthracis cell wall are unknown. We therefore investigated these effects in rats and, for comparison, those of known inflammatory stimulants, Staphylococcus aureus cell wall or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Method and Results Sprague–Dawley rats ( n  = 103) were challenged with increasing B. anthracis cell wall doses (10, 20, 40, 80, or 160 mg/kg) or diluent (control) as a bolus or 24-h infusion. The three highest bolus doses were lethal (20–64% lethality rates) as were the two highest infused doses (13% with each). Comparisons among lethal or nonlethal doses on other measured parameters were not significantly different, and these were combined for analysis. Over the 24 h after challenge initiation with lethal bolus or infusion, compared to controls, ten inflammatory cytokines and NO levels were increased and circulating neutrophils and platelets decreased ( P  ≤ 0.05). Changes with lethal doses were greater than changes with nonlethal doses ( P  ≤ 0.01). Lethal bolus or infusion doses produced hypotension or hypoxemia, respectively ( P  ≤ 0.05). The effects with B. anthracis cell wall were similar to those of S. aureus cell wall or LPS. However, paradoxically administration of B. anthracis cell wall or LPS decreased the lethality of concurrently administered B. anthracis lethal toxin ( P  
ISSN:0342-4642
1432-1238
DOI:10.1007/s00134-009-1643-9