Comparative Effects of Orally and Intraperitoneally Administered RNA and Nucleic Acid Components on Response to Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusInfection in Mice

Abstract

Abstract The effects of the routes of administration of RNA and nucleoside-nucleotide mixture on the survival of BALB/c mice following challenge with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) organisms were examined. The mice were randomized into 5 groups: Group A (n = 19) fed nucleic acid-free 20% casein diet (NFD) (control); Group B (n = 20) fed NFD supplemented with 0.5% RNA; Group C (n = 10) fed NFD and intraperitoneally administered 0.35ml of 4.22% (W/V) RNA; Group D (n = 15) fed NFD and supplemented with 0.5% nucleoside-nucleotide mixture; and Group E (n = 15) fed NFD and intraperitoneally administered 0.35ml of 3.35% (W/V) nucleoside-nucleotide mixture. The mice in Groups A, B, and D were intraperitoneally administered 0.35ml saline. All the mice in the various groups were maintained on these treatments for 30 days. On day 10, each mouse was challenged with 2.0 × 108 colony forming units (cfu) of MRSA administered intravenously. The survival rates in the orally administered groups were 35%...