Trace element balance is changed in infected organs during acute Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection in mice.
Most infectious diseases are accompanied by changed levels of several trace elements in the blood. However, sequential changes in trace elements in tissues harbouring bacterial infections have not been studied. In the present study the respiratory pathogen Chlamydophila pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae), adapted to C57BL/6J mice, was used to study whether the balance of trace elements is changed in infected organs. Bacteria were quantitatively measured by real-time PCR in the blood, lungs, liver, aorta, and heart on days 2, 5, and 8 of the infection. Concentrations of 13 trace elements were measured in the liver, heart, and serum by inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (ICP-MS). Infected mice developed expected clinical signs of disease and bacteria were found in lungs, liver, and heart on all days. The number of bacteria peaked on day 2 in the heart and on day 5 in the liver. The copper/zinc (Cu/Zn) ratio in serum increased as a response to the infection. Cu increased in the liver but did not change in the heart. Iron (Fe) in serum decreased progressively, whereas in the heart it tended to increase, and in the liver it progressively increased. C. pneumoniae may thus cause a changed trace element balance in target tissues of infection that may be pivotal for bacterial growth.
Edvinsson
Marie
M
Department of Medical Sciences, Infectious Diseases, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. marie.edvinsson@medsci.uu.se
Frisk
Peter
P
Molin
Ylva
Y
Hjelm
Eva
E
Ilbäck
Nils-Gunnar
NG
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D008168:Lung / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
D014131:Trace Elements