Amanda R de Almeida1, Gislaine Vieira-Damiani1, Marilene N da Silva1, Bruno G Lania1, Tânia C B Soares1, Marina R Drummond1, Karina de A Lins1, Marna E Ericson2, Kalpna Gupta3, Paulo Eduardo N F Velho4. 1. 1 Applied Research in Dermatology and Bartonella Infection Laboratory, University of Campinas (UNICAMP) , Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil . 2. 2 Department of Dermatology, University of Minnesota , Mineapolis, Minnesota. 3. 3 Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, Minnesota. 4. 4 Laboratory Applied Research in Dermatology and Bartonella Infection, Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Campinas (UNICAMP) , Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil .
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most prevalent hematologic genetic disorder. Acute vaso-occlusive painful crisis is the hallmark of the disease and may be related to subclinical infections. Bartonellosis, a rare and neglected infection, is caused by Bartonella spp., which can be found in donated blood. These bacteria cause intraerythrocytic and endothelial infection and pain, all of which occur in SCD. It is likely that this infection is transmitted to SCD patients during transfusion from donated blood, leading to pain. We, therefore, evaluated whether Bartonella henselae infection would cause hyperalgesia in mice with SCD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SCD mice were generated by transplantation of nucleated bone marrow cells harvested from transgenic Berkeley sickle mice into 2-month-old irradiated C57BL/6 mice. We infected four SCD mice by intraperitoneal inoculation with B. henselae, and inoculated four other mice with the same volume of saline. Mechanical hyperalgesia was determined using von Frey monofilaments by two blinded observers. Thereafter, the animals were anesthetized and euthanized to collect blood, liver, and spleen samples to seek B. henselae infection by PCR. FINDINGS: We confirmed the experimental infection in all animals by PCR. Tremors and mechanical hypersensitivity were demonstrated by SCD mice infected with B. henselae infection but not in those receiving saline. CONCLUSION: B. henselae infection may be related to pain and other symptoms in SCD.
BACKGROUND:Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most prevalent hematologic genetic disorder. Acute vaso-occlusive painful crisis is the hallmark of the disease and may be related to subclinical infections. Bartonellosis, a rare and neglected infection, is caused by Bartonella spp., which can be found in donated blood. These bacteria cause intraerythrocytic and endothelial infection and pain, all of which occur in SCD. It is likely that this infection is transmitted to SCDpatients during transfusion from donated blood, leading to pain. We, therefore, evaluated whether Bartonella henselae infection would cause hyperalgesia in mice with SCD. MATERIALS AND METHODS:SCDmice were generated by transplantation of nucleated bone marrow cells harvested from transgenic Berkeley sickle mice into 2-month-old irradiated C57BL/6 mice. We infected four SCDmice by intraperitoneal inoculation with B. henselae, and inoculated four other mice with the same volume of saline. Mechanical hyperalgesia was determined using von Frey monofilaments by two blinded observers. Thereafter, the animals were anesthetized and euthanized to collect blood, liver, and spleen samples to seek B. henselae infection by PCR. FINDINGS: We confirmed the experimental infection in all animals by PCR. Tremors and mechanical hypersensitivity were demonstrated by SCDmice infected with B. henselae infection but not in those receiving saline. CONCLUSION:B. henselae infection may be related to pain and other symptoms in SCD.
Authors: Gislaine Vieira-Damiani; Amanda Roberta de Almeida; Marilene Neves Silva; Bruno Groseli Lania; Tânia Cristina Benetti Soares; Marina Rovani Drummond; Karina A Lins; Marna Ericson; Kalpna Gupta; Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira Velho Journal: Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo Date: 2020-10-30 Impact factor: 1.846