title: The viral dsRNA analogue poly (I:C) induces necrotizing enterocolitis in neonatal mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a life-threatening gastrointestinal disease in premature infants with high mortality and morbidity with uncertain pathogenesis. Recent research focused on the role of intraluminal bacteria and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). However, an additional role of viral agents in the pathogenesis of NEC has recently been postulated. We assessed the role of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (pIC) mimicking viral dsRNA in contributing to the development of NEC in neonatal mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four-d-old C57BL/6J pups were stressed by asphyxia and hypothermia twice daily. Animals were either fed by formula only (FO), formula containing LPS or pIC. After 72 h, mice were euthanized, intestines harvested, and the severity of NEC was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Breastfed mice showed no evidence of NEC. Very mild NEC-like lesions were observed in mice fed by FO. Supplementation of LPS or pIC to the formula led to increased intestinal tissue damage and inflammation compared with FO in a similar manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates the ability of viral factors to induce NEC in neonatal mice even in the absence of LPS. Furthermore, we present a new mouse model of pIC-induced NEC which may be used to obtain further mechanistic insights in the pathogenesis of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Center of Pediatric Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ginzel
authors.affiliation: Center of Pediatric Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klemann
authors.affiliation: Center of Pediatric Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, KRH Hannover Northern City Hospital, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: von Wasielewski
authors.affiliation: Center of Pediatric Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.|Department of Nephrology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Joon-Keun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology, RWTH-Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Mathias W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Hornef
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology, RWTH-Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Torow
authors.affiliation: Center of Pediatric Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Gertrud
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vieten
authors.affiliation: Center of Pediatric Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Benno M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Ure
authors.affiliation: Center of Pediatric Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Kuebler
authors.affiliation: Center of Pediatric Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.|Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lacher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D018925:Chemokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000139:chemically induced*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000633:toxicity*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011070:Poly I-C