title: Interleukin-17A Contributes to the Control of Streptococcus pyogenes Colonization and Inflammation of the Female Genital Tract.
abstract: Postpartum women are at increased risk of developing puerperal sepsis caused by group A Streptococcus (GAS). Specific GAS serotypes, including M1 and M28, are more commonly associated with puerperal sepsis. However, the mechanisms of GAS genital tract infection are not well understood. We utilized a murine genital tract carriage model to demonstrate that M1 and M28 GAS colonization triggers TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-17A production in the female genital tract. GAS-induced IL-17A significantly influences streptococcal carriage and alters local inflammatory responses in two genetically distinct inbred strains of mice. An absence of IL-17A or the IL-1 receptor was associated with reduced neutrophil recruitment to the site of infection; and clearance of GAS was significantly attenuated in IL-17A(-/-) mice and Rag1(-/-) mice (that lack mature lymphocytes) but not in mice deficient for the IL-1 receptor. Together, these findings support a role for IL-17A in contributing to the control of streptococcal mucosal colonization and provide new insight into the inflammatory mediators regulating host-pathogen interactions in the female genital tract.
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Parklands, QLD 4222, Australia.
authors.forename: Alison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Jason B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Weinberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Suzanne R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Dawid
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Carola
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Parklands, QLD 4222, Australia.
authors.forename: Alfred K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nizet
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Caparon
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Parklands, QLD 4222, Australia.
authors.forename: Glen C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Ulett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration; D060737:Reproductive Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000276:immunology*; D014621:Vagina / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D020381:Interleukin-17