Cytokine gene expression during experimental Escherichia coli pyelonephritis in mice

ABSTRACTPurpose: We studied nine inflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokines in acute pyelonephritis and urethral obstruction in mice to better understand the processes underlying kidney inflammation and scarring.Materials and Methods: Experimental acute pyelonephritis was established in Bki NMRI outbred mice by bladder inoculation of Escherichia coli, followed by 6 h urethral obstruction. The numbers of cytokine mRNA expressing cells for interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), TNF-beta, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) were determined in the kidneys and spleens from the infected, non-infected but obstructed and untouched mice using in situ hybridization with radio-labelled oligonucleotide probes at 12 h, 48 h and 6 d after release of the urethral obstruction.Results: Kidney cell expression of IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha mRNA was observed already at 12 h and persisted on day 6 in the infected animals. A significant pr...