Name: intratracheal inoculation of fischer 344 rats with francisella tularensis
Uploaded: 2017-09-30T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Intratracheal Inoculation of Fischer 344 Rats with Francisella tularensis at JoVE.com

This study was supported by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) under contract HDTRA1-14-C-0116, and the Center for Excellence in Infection Genomics (DOD #W911NF-11-1-0136).

This work was performed in strict accordance with the recommendations in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the National Institutes of Health. Animal protocols involving rodents were approved by the University of Texas at San Antonio Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) under protocol MU009(RA).
1. Prepare Catheter, Trachea Indicator, and F. tularensis Inoculum
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	<li>Prepare Catheter (20 G x 2 in)
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		<li>Cut the 20 G x 2 ...

<ol>
	<li>Ellis, J., Oyston, P. C. F., Green, M., Titball, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tularemia.">Tularemia.</a> Clin Microbiol Rev. 15 (4), 631-646 (2002).</li><li>Lyons, C. R., Wu, T. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Animal+models+of+Francisella+tularensis+infection.">Animal models of Francisella tularensis infection.</a> Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1105, (2007).</li><li>Hutt, J. A., Lovchik, J. A., Dekonenko, A., Hahn, A. C., Wu, T. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Natural+History+of+Pneumonic+Tularemia+in+Female+Fischer+344+Rats+after+Inhalational+Exposure+to+Aerosolized+Francisella+tularensis+subspecies+tularensis+Strain+Schu+S4.">The Natural History of Pneumonic Tularemia in Female Fischer 344 Rats after Inhalational Exposure to Aerosolized Francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis Strain Schu S4.</a> Am J Pathol. 187 (2), 252-267 (2017).</li><li>Ray, H. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Fischer+344+rat+reflects+human+susceptibility+to+Francisella+pulmonary+challenge+and+provides+a+new+platform+for+virulence+and+protection+studies.">The Fischer 344 rat reflects human susceptibility to Francisella pulmonary challenge and provides a new platform for virulence and protection studies.</a> PloS one. 5, e9952 (2010).</li><li>Jemski, J. V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Respiratory+tularemia:+comparison+of+selected+routes+of+vaccination+in+Fischer+344+rats.">Respiratory tularemia: comparison of selected routes of vaccination in Fischer 344 rats.</a> Infect Immun. 34 (3), 766-772 (1981).</li><li>Wu, T. H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Vaccination+of+Fischer+344+rats+against+pulmonary+infections+by+Francisella+tularensis+type+A+strains.">Vaccination of Fischer 344 rats against pulmonary infections by Francisella tularensis type A strains.</a> Vaccine. 27 (34), 4684-4693 (2009).</li><li>Mara-Koosham, G., Hutt, J. A., Lyons, C. R., Wu, T. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Antibodies+contribute+to+effective+vaccination+against+respiratory+infection+by+type+A+Francisella+tularensis+strains.">Antibodies contribute to effective vaccination against respiratory infection by type A Francisella tularensis strains.</a> Infect Immun. 79 (4), 1770-1778 (2011).</li><li>Oyston, P. C., Sjostedt, A., Titball, R. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tularaemia:+bioterrorism+defence+renews+interest+in+Francisella+tularensis.">Tularaemia: bioterrorism defence renews interest in Francisella tularensis.</a> Nat Rev Microbiol. 2 (12), 967-978 (2004).</li><li>Kingry, L. C., Petersen, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Comparative+review+of+Francisella+tularensis+and+Francisella+novicida.">Comparative review of Francisella tularensis and Francisella novicida.</a> Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 4, 35 (2014).</li><li>Rohmer, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Comparison+of+Francisella+tularensis+genomes+reveals+evolutionary+events+associated+with+the+emergence+of+human+pathogenic+strains.">Comparison of Francisella tularensis genomes reveals evolutionary events associated with the emergence of human pathogenic strains.</a> Genome Biol. 8 (6), R102 (2007).</li><li>Chu, P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Live+attenuated+Francisella+novicida+vaccine+protects+against+Francisella+tularensis+pulmonary+challenge+in+rats+and+non-human+primates.">Live attenuated Francisella novicida vaccine protects against Francisella tularensis pulmonary challenge in rats and non-human primates.</a> PLoS Pathog. 10 (10), e1004439 (2014).</li><li>Signarovitz, A. L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mucosal+Immunization+with+Live+Attenuated+Francisella+novicida+U112&#916;iglB+Protects+against+Pulmonary+F.+tularensis+SCHU+S4+in+the+Fischer+344+Rat+Model.">Mucosal Immunization with Live Attenuated Francisella novicida U112&#916;iglB Protects against Pulmonary F. tularensis SCHU S4 in the Fischer 344 Rat Model.</a> PloS one. 7 (10), e47639 (2012).</li><li>Cunningham, A. L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enhancement+of+vaccine+efficacy+by+expression+of+a+TLR5+ligand+in+the+defined+live+attenuated+Francisella+tularensis+subsp.+novicida+strain+U112DiglB::fljB.">Enhancement of vaccine efficacy by expression of a TLR5 ligand in the defined live attenuated Francisella tularensis subsp. novicida strain U112DiglB::fljB.</a> Vaccine. 32 (40), 5234-5240 (2014).</li></ol>

The Fischer 344 rat is becoming an important model for tularemia vaccine development3. Exposure to F. tularensis through the pulmonary route is critical for demonstrating efficacy against weaponized forms of F. tularensis, because these are delivered as aerosols. Intratracheal inoculation of the rat facilitates exposure of the rat lungs to F. tularensis without the need for large, expensive, and complicated aerosol generating equipment. All experiments utilizing select a...

F. tularensis (Ft) causes the human disease, tularemia. When the bacteria are acquired through the pulmonary route, this leads to pneumonic tularemia, which has high morbidity and mortality1. F. tularensis is considered a biothreat agent due to the danger associated with aerosolized forms, and there is currently no vaccine approved for human use in the U.S. An intensive effort is currently underway to develop vaccines and therapeutic measures against pneumonic tularemia, to protect the human population against the illicit use of this bacterial biothreat.
Much of the tularemia research has focused on the mouse model, due to the extreme sensitivity of mice to F. tularensis infection, and the prevalence of reagents. However, mice have proven to be a difficult model for vaccine development, due to the difficulty of demonstrating vaccine efficacy in this model2. Recently, the Fischer 344 rat has been developed as a model for tularemia vaccine development3. The sensitivity of the Fischer 344 rat to various F. tularensis subspecies mimics human sensitivity4, and rats can be protected against F. tularensis pulmonary challenge by vaccination with a live vaccine strain known to protect humans5,6,7. Because the Fischer 344 rat models some features of F. tularensis infection of humans, it may be an extremely useful model for the development of a vaccine that protects against pulmonary F. tularensis exposure.
An effective vaccine needs to protect humans against pulmonary exposure to F. tularensis. The most likely pulmonary exposure from weaponized F. tularensis would be aerosolized bacteria inhaled into the lungs8. However, aerosol generation of F. tularensis is both dangerous and cumbersome, and requires specialized equipment and containment. An alternate route of pulmonary exposure in the rat that is perhaps more adaptable for multiple laboratories lacking specialized equipment is via intratracheal inoculation6. This technique utilizes a laryngoscope for the correct placement of a catheter within the trachea of an anesthetized rat. Placement within the trachea, rather than the esophagus, is verified by a simple device that visualizes airflow from the lungs. F. tularensis is subsequently delivered into the lungs through the catheter by administration with a syringe, followed by the introduction of air into the catheter to ensure pulmonary delivery of the bacteria. In contrast, Jemski5 previously reported that F. tularensis inoculated into Fischer 344 rats via the intranasal route could not be cultured from the lungs until 3 days post-inoculation, indicating that intranasal inoculation in rats does not result in direct delivery of bacteria into the lungs.
Select agent forms of F. tularensis (F. tularensis subsp. tularensis, F. tularensis subsp. holarctica) require Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) containment procedures, which would prevent videography. However, F. novicida (Fn) is exempt from select agent status due to its avirulence in healthy humans, and can be utilized safely under Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2) conditions9,10. Moreover, Fn serves as the basis for live attenuated vaccines that can protect against F. tularensis pulmonary exposure when delivered via intratracheal inoculation11,12,13. The technique presented here allows for the study of infections that occur through the pulmonary route utilizing rats as a model for humans. This technique can be performed without the need for specialized aerosol-generating equipment. Fn was used for the techniques filmed here.

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intratracheal inoculation of fischer 344 rats with francisella tularensis

Pulmonary infection with the bacterium Francisella tularensis can lead to the serious and potentially fatal disease, tularemia, in humans. Due to the current lack of an approved tularemia vaccine for humans, research is focused on vaccine development utilizing appropriate animal models. The Fischer 344 rat has emerged as a model that reflects human susceptibility to F. tularensis infection, and thus is an attractive model for tularemia vaccine development. Intratracheal inoculation of the Fischer 344 rat with F. tularensis mimics pulmonary exposure in humans. The successful delivery into the rat trachea is critical for pulmonary delivery. A laryngoscope with illumination is used to properly intubate the tracheae of anesthetized rats; the correct placement within the trachea is determined by a simple device to detect breathing. Following intubation, the F. tularensis culture is delivered in a measured dose via syringe. This technique standardizes pulmonary delivery of F. tularensis within the rat trachea to evaluate vaccine efficacy.

The humoral response to intratracheal inoculation of F. tularensis in the rat can be determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) against UV-inactivated bacteria, as described previously11. Total Immunoglobulin G (IgG) response of Fischer 344 rats to inactivated whole cell bacteria was assessed post-intratracheal inoculation with an attenuated strain of Fn (107 CFU inoculum) at day 14 and day 28 (Figure 1...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Intratracheal Inoculation of Fischer 344 Rats with Francisella tularensis at JoVE.com

Intratracheal Inoculation of Fischer 344 Rats with Francisella tularensis

This protocol describes intratracheal inoculations of Fischer 344 rats with Francisella tularensis. This procedure mimics pulmonary exposure of humans to this potential biothreat agent and can be used to test vaccine and therapeutic efficacy against pulmonary tularemia.

Intratracheal Inoculation of Fischer 344 Rats with Francisella tularensis

Pulmonary infection with the bacterium Francisella tularensis can lead to the serious and potentially fatal disease, tularemia, in humans. Due to the ...

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