Verena Hoerr1,
Lori Zbytnuik2, Paul Kubes2, Hans Vogel1
1Department of Biological Sciences,
University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; 2Department of
Physiology and Biophysics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
In
mouse-models of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa infections, serum was investigated by 1H NMR spectroscopy and
distinguished by statistical pattern recognition techniques. By combining the
results of the in vivo study with footprints of culture experiments,
potential bacteria-specific biomarkers were identified. We also compared
serum metabolite changes caused by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) treatment and E.
coli infection in both wild-type and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) deficient
mice. In TLR4 deficient mice the immune response upon LPS treatment was
suppressed. Taken together, our approach allows us to distinguish between
innate immune and direct bacterial effects during an infection.