1. Microbiology and Infectious Disease

Interferon receptor-deficient mice are susceptible to eschar-associated rickettsiosis

  1. Thomas P Burke
  2. Patrik Engström
  3. Cuong J Tran
  4. Ingeborg M Langohr
  5. Dustin R Glasner
  6. Diego A Espinosa
  7. Eva Harris
  8. Matthew D Welch  Is a corresponding author
  1. University of California, Berkeley, United States
  2. Louisiana State University, United States
  3. University of California, San Francisco, United States
  4. Metagenomi, United States
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.67029
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Cite this article
  1. Thomas P Burke
  2. Patrik Engström
  3. Cuong J Tran
  4. Ingeborg M Langohr
  5. Dustin R Glasner
  6. Diego A Espinosa
  7. Eva Harris
  8. Matthew D Welch
(2021)
Interferon receptor-deficient mice are susceptible to eschar-associated rickettsiosis
eLife 10:e67029.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.67029
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Abstract

Arthropod-borne rickettsial pathogens cause mild and severe human disease worldwide. The tick-borne pathogen Rickettsia parkeri elicits skin lesions (eschars) and disseminated disease in humans; however, inbred mice are generally resistant to infection. We report that intradermal infection of mice lacking both interferon receptors (Ifnar1-/-;Ifngr1-/-) with as few as 10 R. parkeri elicits eschar formation and disseminated, lethal disease. Similar to human infection, eschars exhibited necrosis and inflammation, with bacteria primarily found in leukocytes. Using this model, we find that the actin-based motility factor Sca2 is required for dissemination from the skin to internal organs, and the outer membrane protein OmpB contributes to eschar formation. Immunizing Ifnar1-/-;Ifngr1-/- mice with sca2 and ompB mutant R. parkeri protects against rechallenge, revealing live-attenuated vaccine candidates. Thus, Ifnar1-/-;Ifngr1-/- mice are a tractable model to investigate rickettsiosis, virulence factors, and immunity. Our results further suggest that discrepancies between mouse and human susceptibility may be due to differences in interferon signaling.

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All data sets generated or analyzed during this study are included in the manuscript and supporting files.

Article and author information

Author details

  1. Thomas P Burke

    Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

  2. Patrik Engström

    Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

  3. Cuong J Tran

    Division of Infectious Disease and Vaccinology, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

  4. Ingeborg M Langohr

    Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, United States
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

  5. Dustin R Glasner

    Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
    ORCID icon "This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0001-9821-6683

  6. Diego A Espinosa

    Cell Therapy, Metagenomi, Emeryville, United States
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
    ORCID icon "This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0002-4364-5031

  7. Eva Harris

    Division of Infectious Disease and Vaccinology, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
    ORCID icon "This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0002-7238-4037

  8. Matthew D Welch

    Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
    For correspondence
    welch@berkeley.edu
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
    ORCID icon "This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0003-2537-6349

Funding

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI109044)

  • Matthew D Welch

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R21AI138550)

  • Matthew D Welch

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI124493)

  • Eva Harris

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.

Ethics

Animal experimentation: Animal research was conducted under a protocol approved by the University of California, Berkeley Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and other federal statutes relating to animals and experiments using animals (Welch lab animal use protocol AUP-2016-02-8426). The University of California, Berkeley IACUC is fully accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International and adheres to the principles of the Guide for the Care and use of Laboratory Animals. Mouse infections were performed in a biosafety level 2 facility. All animals were maintained at the University of California, Berkeley campus, and all infections were performed in accordance with the approved protocols. Mice were immediately euthanized if they exhibited severe degree of infection, as defined by a core body temperature dropping below 90˚ F or lethargy that prevented normal movement.

Copyright

© 2021, Burke et al.

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.

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  1. Thomas P Burke
  2. Patrik Engström
  3. Cuong J Tran
  4. Ingeborg M Langohr
  5. Dustin R Glasner
  6. Diego A Espinosa
  7. Eva Harris
  8. Matthew D Welch
(2021)
Interferon receptor-deficient mice are susceptible to eschar-associated rickettsiosis
eLife 10:e67029.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.67029

Share this article

https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.67029

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