Development, characterization, and utilization of an intestinal xenograft model for infectious disease research. Lab Invest 1991 Dec;65(6):719-31
Date
12/01/1991Pubmed ID
1753715Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0026323955 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 16 CitationsAbstract
Paired xenografts of near-term fetal rabbit jejunum were subcutaneously implanted in the backs of athymic nude (nu/nu) mice. At 3 to 4 weeks post-implantation, the grafts had histologic, ultrastructural, and biochemical (lactase, sucrase, alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase) parameters comparable to age-matched control rabbits. Four weeks post-transplantation the xenografts were intraluminally inoculated with various strains of lapine attaching and effacing E. coli or group A rotavirus. Infection with 2 strains of E. coli resulted in typical light microscopic and ultrastructural lesions of attachment and effacement. Immunohistochemical analysis of rotavirus-infected xenografts demonstrated rotavirus antigen within enterocytes. These lesions are comparable to those in conventional rabbits. Intestinal xenografts are a novel, highly controlled, and reproducible model which may have unique applications in the study of enteric diseases. The model provides anatomically and biochemically correct intestinal mucosal epithelium uncomplicated by variables such as enteric flora, host immune response, gastric, hepatic, and pancreatic secretions and is susceptible to infection by specific enteropathogens. Xenografts, therefore, may be a viable alternative in certain investigations where whole animals, ligated intestinal loops, organ cultures, or cell cultures might otherwise be chosen.
Author List
Thulin JD, Kuhlenschmidt MS, Gelberg HBMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Alkaline PhosphataseAnimals
Escherichia coli Infections
Jejunum
Lactase
Mice
Mice, Nude
Models, Biological
Rabbits
Rotavirus Infections
Transplantation, Heterologous
beta-Galactosidase
