Mice chronically fed high-fat diet have increased mortality and disturbed immune response in sepsis.
Journal article, 2009

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a potentially deadly disease that often is caused by gram-positive bacteria, in particular Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). As there are few effective therapies for sepsis, increased basic knowledge about factors predisposing is needed. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The purpose of this study was to study the effect of Western diet on mortality induced by intravenous S. aureus inoculation and the immune functions before and after bacterial inoculation. Here we show that C57Bl/6 mice on high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks, like genetically obese Ob/Ob mice on low-fat diet (LFD), have increased mortality during S. aureus-induced sepsis compared with LFD-fed C57Bl/6 controls. Bacterial load in the kidneys 5-7 days after inoculation was increased 10-fold in HFD-fed compared with LFD-fed mice. At that time, HFD-fed mice had increased serum levels and fat mRNA expression of the immune suppressing cytokines interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and IL-10 compared with LFD-fed mice. In addition, HFD-fed mice had increased serum levels of the pro-inflammatory IL-1beta. Also, HFD-fed mice with and without infection had increased levels of macrophages in fat. The proportion and function of phagocytosing granulocytes, and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by peritoneal lavage cells were decreased in HFD-fed compared with LFD-fed mice. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings imply that chronic HFD disturb several innate immune functions in mice, and impairs the ability to clear S. aureus and survive sepsis.

Author

Louise Grahnemo

University of Gothenburg

Margareta Verdrengh

University of Gothenburg

Maria Enge

University of Gothenburg

Niklas Andersson

University of Gothenburg

Sylvie Amu

University of Gothenburg

Karin Önnheim

University of Gothenburg

Anna Benrick

University of Gothenburg

Mikael Brisslert

University of Gothenburg

Johan Bylund

University of Gothenburg

Maria Bokarewa

University of Gothenburg

Staffan Nilsson

Chalmers, Mathematical Sciences, Mathematical Statistics

University of Gothenburg

John-Olov Jansson

University of Gothenburg

PLoS ONE

1932-6203 (ISSN) 19326203 (eISSN)

Vol. 4 10 e7605- e7605

Subject Categories

Physiology

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0007605

PubMed

19865485

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