International Mammalian Genome Society

17th International Mouse Genome Conference

9-12 November 2003, Braunschweig, Germany

Plenary Presentations * Oral Presentations *
Poster Presentations: Behavioural Genetics and Genomics * Development and Stem Cells * Functional Genome Analysis * Mouse Models of Human Disease * Mouse System Biology Bioinformatics * Multigenic and Multifactorial Trait Analysis * Nutrition and Metabolic Disease * Phenotyping Methods Imaging * The Genetics and Genomics of Infectious Disease *
Verne Chapman Memorial Lecture * Table of Contents * Sponsor/Exhibitor List * Awards * Photographs

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POSTER 211 - ESTABLISHMENT OF A MOUSE INFECTION CHALLENGE PLATFORM

Pasche B
Junior Research Group Infection Genetics, German Research Centre for Biotechnology (GBF), Mascheroder Weg 1, 38124 Braunschweig

Co-Authors: 2) Franz T, 2) Kalaydijev S, 1) Helming L, 1) Schiebe S, 3) Deiters U, 4) Gailus-Durner V, 4) Hrabe de Angelis M, 3) Müller W, 2) Busch D H, 1) Lengeling A
Institutions: 1) Junior Research Group Infection Genetics, German Research Centre for Biotechnology (GBF), Mascheroder Weg 1, 38124 Braunschweig, 2) Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Technical University of Munich, Trogerstr. 4a, 81675 München, 3) Department of Experimental Immunology, German Research Centre for Biotechnology (GBF), Mascheroder Weg 1, 38124 Braunschweig, 4) Institute of Experimental Genetics, GSF - Research Center of Environment and Health, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg

At the GBF in Braunschweig a mouse infection challenge platform has been established where mouse mutants with abnormalities in immune function can be tested for host defence against different pathogens. This screen works in close collaboration with the German Mouse Clinic in Neuherberg, where a comprehensive first line phenotyping of mouse mutants from various sources takes place. Within the last two years we established detailed standardised protocols that allow us to monitor systematically host responses of mice after infection with Listeria monocytogenes, Streptococcus pyogenes and Yersinia enterocoilitica. This includes health status monitoring during infection, analysis of survival, bacterial dissemination and growth kinetics of pathogens in different organs. In addition, cytokine responses and the composition of immune effector cells in the peripheral blood are analysed. Phenotyping and establishment of base line data of different inbred strains of mice revealed substantial variation in resistance and susceptibility towards L. monocytogenes and S. pyogenes, which are genetically determined. Interestingly, by analysing both genders we found pathogen specific differences in infection susceptibility in males and females. In general we found that females are more susceptible to infection with Listeria as compared to males, whereas in infections with Streptococcus males are more susceptible than females. This is reflected by decreased survival and an increase in bacterial load in organs. Furthermore, we found intersex differences in the peripheral blood composition in infected as well as in noninfected animals.

This work is supported by the National Genome Research Network NGFN (KB-P5T0513, 01GR0102) and EUMORPHIA (WP6, QLRT-2001-00930, European Comission)