Gonococcal infection in endotoxin-resistant and endotoxin-susceptible mice

P. R. Streeter, L. B. Corbeil

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

The role of endotoxin responsiveness in defense against gonococcal infection was studied in endotoxin-resistant (C3H/HeJ) and endotoxin-susceptible (C3H/HeN) mice by using a model of disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) and a model of gonococcal survival in the female genital tract to determine the ability of the mice to eliminate gonococci. The 50% lethal dose in the DGI model was 109.6 for C3H/HeJ mice and 105.2 for C3H/HeJ mice cleared large numbers of gonococci from their peripheral blood by 24 h post-inoculation but that C3H/HeN mice did not. Additionally, the peritoneal leukocyte response after intraperitoneal inoculation suggested that the ability to mount an inflammatory response to endotoxin may be important in defense against DGI. Besides being different in susceptibility DGI, C3H/HeJ mice were found to be more resistant than C3H/HeN mice to genital colonization by gonococci. The resistance of C3H/HeJ mice to genital colonization by gonococci appeared to be due to both the high numbers of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the genital secretion and the predominance of inhibitory gram-negative genital flora in that mouse strain.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)105-110
Number of pages6
JournalInfection and Immunity
Volume32
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1981
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases

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