Inflammation induced by different plasmid types of russian <i>Yersinia pseudotuberculosis</i> strains

Abstract

In the 2000s, a scientific interest to the Far Eastern scarlet-like fever (FESLF) mainly recorded In Russia and Japanwas remarkably increased. Such clinical and epidemic manifestation of human pseudotuberculosis is related to a certain bacterial clonal lineage characterized by a specific plasmid profile (pVM82, pYV48), sequence type (2ST) as well as the yadA gene allele (1st allele). In our study we examined features of inflammatory changes characterizing plasmidassociated pathogenicity of the FESLF pathogen. In addition, organ histopathology in experimental animals infected intraperitoneally with Y. pseudotuberculosis strains of the four plasmid types 48+:82+; 48+:82-; 48-:82+; 48-:82-; and 48-:82- was investigated. It was found that the mortality rate in animals infected with Y. pseudotuberculosis H-5015 strain (82+:48+) bearing two plasmids with a molecular weight of 82 and 48 MDa was 40%. A picture of diffuse pneumonia with moderate inflammatory infiltration in pulmonary tissue and changes in lymphoid organs characterizing immunodeficiency we observed as early as 3 days postinfection (p.i.). On the contrary, animals infected with Y. pseudotuberculosis H-5015 strain (82+:48) bearing a single plasmid 82 MDa pVM, mortality rate was 30%. A vascular reaction in the lungs and liver as well as deteriorated vascular destructive changes were revealed starting from day 3 and on day 57 days p.i., respectively, which was paralleled with perivascular infiltration mainly by mononuclear cells and focal pneumonia as well as a reaction of bronchialassociated lymphoid tissue and minimal organ destructive changes. On day 7 p.i., signs of granulomatous inflammation in the liver in a form of small mononuclear cell clusters and perivascular compact infiltrates were found. At all time points, lymphoid organ hyperplasia was noted. In case the infection caused by H-5013 strain (48+), the mortality rate was 80%. Inflammatory changes with dominant mononuclear cells were detected as early as 1 day p.i. associated with a picture of large focal bronchopneumonia, more pronounced in the non-survivor animals, also demonstrating signs of severe immunosuppression in the lymphoid organs. Starting from day 3 p.i., lymphoid hypoplasia in the spleen and lymph nodes was detected in all infected animals paralleled with pathogen-associated tissue damage in various organs. Animals infected with the plasmid-free H-5013 strain 48-) resulted in 25% mortality rate. Moreover, starting from day 3 p.i., a slight mononuclear inflammatory infiltration in the lungs and liver, a moderate giant cell reaction in the splenic pulp, and loose perinodal inflammatory infiltration in the lymph nodes were observed. Thus, while modeling infection caused by different plasmid types of Y. pseudotuberculosis, the data on differences in histopathology of changes in diverse organs regarding dynamics and generalization of the inflammatory response, as well as the severity of pathogen-associated damage in the lymphoid tissue were obtained. In case Y. pseudotuberculosis strains contained pVM82 plasmid with or without virulence plasmid pYV vs. single pYV-positive strains, an area of the inflammatory response as well as severity of immunosuppression manifested by splenic and lymph node delymphatization were decreased. It allowed to suggest that pVM82 plasmid found In Russia-originating Y. pseudotuberculosis strains might be implicated in limiting intensity of inflammatory response, bacterial dissemination and severity of lymphoid organ damage.