Enhanced Vulnerability of Diabetic Mice to Hypervirulent Streptococcus agalactiae ST-17 Infection

Bibliographic Details
Title: Enhanced Vulnerability of Diabetic Mice to Hypervirulent Streptococcus agalactiae ST-17 Infection
Authors: Jéssica da Conceição Mendonça, João Matheus Sobral Pena, Noemi dos Santos Macêdo, Dayane de Souza Rodrigues, Dayane Alvarinho de Oliveira, Brady L. Spencer, Eduardo José Lopes-Torres, Lindsey R. Burcham, Kelly S. Doran, Prescilla Emy Nagao
Source: Pathogens, Vol 12, Iss 4, p 580 (2023)
Publisher Information: MDPI AG, 2023.
Publication Year: 2023
Collection: LCC:Medicine
Subject Terms: Streptococcus agalactiae, Group B Streptococcus, diabetes mellitus, bacterial dissemination, Medicine
More Details: Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus, GBS) is the leading cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis but has been recently isolated from non-pregnant adults with underlying medical conditions like diabetes. Despite diabetes being a key risk factor for invasive disease, the pathological consequences during GBS infection remain poorly characterized. Here, we demonstrate the pathogenicity of the GBS90356-ST17 and COH1-ST17 strains in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. We show that GBS can spread through the bloodstream and colonize several tissues, presenting a higher bacterial count in diabetic-infected mice when compared to non-diabetic-infected mice. Histological sections of the lungs showed inflammatory cell infiltration, collapsed septa, and red blood cell extravasation in the diabetic-infected group. A significant increase in collagen deposition and elastic fibers were also observed in the lungs. Moreover, the diabetic group presented red blood cells that adhered to the valve wall and disorganized cardiac muscle fibers. An increased expression of KC protein, IL-1β, genes encoding immune cell markers, and ROS (reactive oxygen species) production was observed in diabetic-infected mice, suggesting GBS promotes high levels of inflammation when compared to non-diabetic animals. Our data indicate that efforts to reverse the epidemic of diabetes could considerably reduce the incidence of invasive infection, morbidity and mortality due to GBS.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2076-0817
Relation: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/4/580; https://doaj.org/toc/2076-0817
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12040580
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/2f9920e756244488becddb7fca0c825c
Accession Number: edsdoj.2f9920e756244488becddb7fca0c825c
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:20760817
DOI:10.3390/pathogens12040580
Published in:Pathogens
Language:English