title: CD46 transgenic mouse model of necrotizing fasciitis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes infection.
abstract: We developed a human CD46-expressing transgenic (Tg) mouse model of subcutaneous (s.c.) infection into both hind footpads with clinically isolated 11 group A streptococcus (GAS) serotype M1 strains. When the severity levels of foot lesions at 72 h and the mortality rates by 336 h were compared after s.c. infection with 1x10(7) CFU of each GAS strain, the GAS472 strain, isolated from the blood of a patient suffering from streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), induced the highest severity levels and mortality rates. GAS472 led to a 100% mortality rate in CD46 Tg mice after only 168 h postinfection through the supervention of severe necrotizing fasciitis (NF) of the feet. In contrast, GAS472 led to a 10% mortality rate in non-Tg mice through the supervention of partial necrotizing cutaneous lesions of the feet. The footpad skin sections of CD46 Tg mice showed hemorrhaging and necrotic striated muscle layers in the dermis, along with the exfoliation of epidermis with intracellular edema until 48 h after s.c. infection with GAS472. Thereafter, the bacteria proliferated, reaching a 90-fold or 7-fold increase in the livers of CD46 Tg mice or non-Tg mice, respectively, for 24 h between 48 and 72 h after s.c. infection with GAS472. As a result, the infected CD46 Tg mice appeared to suffer severe liver injuries. These findings suggest that human CD46 enhanced the progression of NF in the feet and the exponential growth of bacteria in deep tissues, leading to death.
authors.affiliation: Kitasato Institute for Life Sciences and Graduate School of Infection Control Sciences, Kitasato University, 5-9-1 Shirokane, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8641, Japan. hmatsui@lisci.kitasato-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Yukie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sekiya
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Somay Yamagata
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Murayama
authors.forename: Haruno
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Tetsufumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Ken'ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imanishi
authors.forename: Kanji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchimoto
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sunakawa
authors.forename: Kimiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ubukata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019115:Fasciitis, Necrotizing / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D051916:Membrane Cofactor Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes
chemical_list: D051916:Membrane Cofactor Protein