title: Acute iron overload in mice: pathogenesis of Salmonella typhimurium infection.
abstract: The bacterial growth in the tissues of C3D2F1 male mice was measured during an experimental infection with two Salmonella typhimurium strains (high virulence, strain 2386/74; low virulence, strain L15403). This experimental model was used for evaluation of the pathogenesis in normal and iron-overloaded animals. Acute iron overload was accomplished by intramuscular injections of chelated iron (with 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid and citrate) with a single dose of 100 micrograms of iron per mouse. Bacteria were given intraperitoneally 1 h after the iron injection. Serum iron levels, transferrin levels, and the bacteria counts in blood and liver were measured simultaneously in all animals. There was a significant increase of bacterial growth in all tissues in the iron-treated animals. Iron abolished the normal clearance of the bacteria with low virulence from the blood. This study demonstrates that a general iron overload, as determined by an increased serum iron level, resulting from preinjection of iron, enhances bacterial growth.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000494:pharmacology; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018805:Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology*; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D014168:Transferrin; C025314:ferric citrate; C009135:2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid; D007501:Iron