A murine intraperitoneal infection model reveals that host resistance to Campylobacter jejuni is Nramp 1 dependent

We tested the hypothesis that host resistance to Campylobacter jejuni is Nramp I dependent. Following intraperitoneal (IP) inoculation of Nramp1+/+ and isogenic Nramp1-deficient (Nramp1-/-) mice C. jejuni primarily associated with mac1-positive cells in liver tissue. A significant reduction of C. jejuni was observed in Nramp1 +/+ mice 4 days post-infection (PI) (liver) and 8 days PI cecum-colon. In contrast, Nramp1 -/- mice showed no significant reduction of C. jejuni and instead had a chronic inflammatory response and significant histopathological lesions 30 days PI. Differential cytokine profiles were observed in C. jejuni infected Nramp1 +/+ and Nramp1 -/- primary dendritic cells. Taken together these data indicate that Nramp I is critical for host resistance to C. jejuni. (c) 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.