Multi-bioluminescence based dynamic imaging of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced hepatic inflammation process

Abstract

Bacterial infections are a major cause of death worldwide. However, it is difficult to track the in vivo dynamics of pathogenic bacteria and the expression of inflammatory factors in infected animals throughout the infection process. This work used Pseudomonas aeruginosa as an infection model and utilised genetically bioluminescence-labeled P. aeruginosa and hydrodynamic transfection technology to construct a liver-visual NF-κB, IL-6, TNF-α inflammation model, thereby enabling the tracking of the dynamic spread of P. aeruginosa in infected animals and the transient activation of the liver inflammation response. The results showed that P. aeruginosa introduced via the tail vein initially accumulates in the liver and gradually activates NF-κB, IL-6, and TNF-α. Subsequently, the P. aeruginosa infection gradually spreads to the lungs and small intestine, and final proliferation leads to septic death in mice. During the infection process, we observed a strictly negative correlation between platelet activation and bacterial proliferation; the higher the degree of platelet activation, the stronger the inhibitory effect on bacterial proliferation and liver inflammation. In conclusion, this bioluminescence-based in vivo imaging technique offers new opportunities to investigate the innate immune response in controlling pathogenic infections.

Keywords: Bioluminescence imaging; Liver inflammation; NF-κB; Platelets; Pseudomonas aeruginosa.