Results of Structural and Bacteriological Analysis of the Mouse Adrenal Glands in a Sepsis Model

The article presents the results of histological and bacteriological analysis of the adrenal glands in two models of sepsis caused by intraperitoneal administration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains 1623 and 5266 to sexually mature male C57BL/6 mice. In both models, histological changes in the adrenal glands in the dynamics of sepsis consist in cell destruction and decrease in the absolute areas of the zona glomerulosa, columnar part of the zona fasciculata, and medulla, the development of venous congestion in the absence of pronounced signs of leukocytic infiltration. Most adrenocortical cells of the zona glomerulosa and chromaffin cells of the medulla show signs of destruction. The columnar part of the zona fasciculata loses normal architectonics, the cells undergo degeneration and apoptosis, a significant part of cells in the deep layers of the zona fasciculata remain intact, but do not show tinctorial and ultrastructural signs of steroidogenesis. The active growth of P. aeruginosa colonies from adrenal homogenates in both models already in the first hours after infection of animals makes it possible to associate the revealed structural changes in the adrenal glands with the direct negative effect of P. aeruginosa, and high levels of mRNA of proinflammatory cytokines in the adrenal tissues raise the question of the possible synthesis of these modulators of inflammation in the adrenal parenchyma of septic animals.

Automated summary

The article presents the histological and bacteriological analysis results of the adrenal glands in two models of sepsis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. The study found that during sepsis, there are histological changes in the adrenal glands, such as cell destruction and decrease in certain areas. The growth of P. aeruginosa colonies and the high levels of proinflammatory cytokines suggest a direct negative effect and possible synthesis of these modulators of inflammation in the adrenal parenchyma.