Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Expression analysis of the T-cell-targeting chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 in mice and humans with endothelial infections caused by rickettsiae of the spotted fever group.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Valbuena, G; Bradford, W; Walker, DH
Published in: Am J Pathol
October 2003

Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other related diseases are systemic infections caused by rickettsiae. These obligatory intracellular bacteria target the endothelium, offering an appealing model to study the interactions between endothelial cells and T lymphocytes. We investigated the mRNA expression of chemokines known to target CD8+ T cells and CD4(+) T-helper 1 cells in the lungs of C3H/HeN mice infected with Rickettsia conorii with the purpose of identifying evidence for a role of chemokines in the immune clearance of rickettsiae from the vasculature. The expression of the CXCR3 ligands CXCL9 and CXCL10 was significantly higher than the other chemokines investigated. We validated the relevance of these results in the animal model through the analysis of tissues from humans with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. We then characterized the kinetics and localization of expression of CXCL9 and CXCL10 in lungs, brain, and liver of mice infected with lethal or sublethal doses of R. conorii by a combination of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Interestingly, the peak of expression of these chemokines occurred 4 days before CD8+ T cells infiltrated the infected tissues. Our results suggest that CXCL9 and CXCL10 may play a role early during the immune response against rickettsial infections.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Am J Pathol

DOI

ISSN

0002-9440

Publication Date

October 2003

Volume

163

Issue

4

Start / End Page

1357 / 1369

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
  • Rickettsia conorii
  • Receptors, Chemokine
  • Receptors, CXCR3
  • Pathology
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice
  • Male
  • Lung Diseases
  • Lung
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Valbuena, G., Bradford, W., & Walker, D. H. (2003). Expression analysis of the T-cell-targeting chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 in mice and humans with endothelial infections caused by rickettsiae of the spotted fever group. Am J Pathol, 163(4), 1357–1369. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9440(10)63494-3
Valbuena, Gustavo, William Bradford, and David H. Walker. “Expression analysis of the T-cell-targeting chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 in mice and humans with endothelial infections caused by rickettsiae of the spotted fever group.Am J Pathol 163, no. 4 (October 2003): 1357–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9440(10)63494-3.
Valbuena, Gustavo, et al. “Expression analysis of the T-cell-targeting chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 in mice and humans with endothelial infections caused by rickettsiae of the spotted fever group.Am J Pathol, vol. 163, no. 4, Oct. 2003, pp. 1357–69. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/S0002-9440(10)63494-3.
Journal cover image

Published In

Am J Pathol

DOI

ISSN

0002-9440

Publication Date

October 2003

Volume

163

Issue

4

Start / End Page

1357 / 1369

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
  • Rickettsia conorii
  • Receptors, Chemokine
  • Receptors, CXCR3
  • Pathology
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice
  • Male
  • Lung Diseases
  • Lung