Imaging of Disease Dynamics during Meningococcal Sepsis
Figure 3
Dynamic meningococcal disease progression selects for Opa expression. (A) Mice with mild-disease pattern were imaged over 4 days using a detection scale of 200/2000 counts. Bioluminescent signals from the mice were undetectable at 2 days (2d) post-infection. From day 3 (3d), the signals reappeared either in the brain (upper panel) or in the whole body (lower panel). Images are representative of each subgroup. Each panel follows one mouse over time. Bacterial loads in blood and CSF at indicated time points post-challenge are shown. (B) N. meningitidis was isolated from blood, CSF or nasal washes (N wash) at day 1, 3 and 4 after infection. Recovered isolates together with the initial inoculum, were analyzed for expression of Opa proteins (30 kDa), PilC (110 kDa), and pili (PilE subunit 16 kDa) by immunoblots. LOS (6.5 kDa) was analyzed by Tricine SDS-PAGE.