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Animal Models

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The Immune Landscape in Tuberculosis Reveals Populations Linked to Disease and Latency

Esaulova  et al., Cell Host Microbe. 2020.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33340449/

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection of adult rhesus macaques (RMs), predominantly males (81%), recapitulates both latent (LTBI) and active pulmonary TB (PTB) observed in humans. The immune characterization in lungs of RMs with PTB exhibited an influx of plasmacytoid dendritic cells, an interferon-responsive macrophage population, and activated T cell responses. In contrast, a CD27+ natural killer (NK) cell subset accumulated in the lungs of RMs with LTBI. This NK cell population was also detected in the circulation of humans with LTBI. This characterization of lung immune cells enhances our understanding of TB immunopathogenesis and provides potential targets for therapies and vaccines for TB control. Supported by ORIP (P51OD011104 and P51OD011133), NHLBI, and NIAID.

Lipocalin-2 Is an Anorexigenic Signal in Primates

Petropoulou et al., eLife. 2020.

https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.58949

The hormone lipocalin-2 (LCN2) suppresses food intake in mice. Researchers demonstrated that LCN2 increases after a meal and reduces hunger in people with normal weight or overweight, but not in obese individuals. The researchers also showed that LCN2 crosses the blood-brain barrier and binds to the hypothalamus in vervet monkeys. LCN2 was found to bind to the hypothalamus in human, baboon, and rhesus macaque brain sections. When injected into vervets, LCN2 suppressed food intake and lowered body weight without toxic effects in short-term experiments. These findings lay the groundwork to investigate whether LCN2 might be a useful treatment for obesity. Supported by ORIP (P40OD010965), NCATS, NIDDK, NIA, and NHLBI.

Antiretroviral Therapy Does Not Reduce Tuberculosis Reactivation in a Tuberculosis-HIV Coinfection Model

Ganatra et al., Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2020.

https://www.jci.org/articles/view/136502

Despite treatment of HIV with antiretroviral therapy (ART), the risk of tuberculosis (TB) reactivation is higher in HIV-infected than HIV-uninfected persons. Researchers used Mycobacterium tuberculosis/SIV-coinfected rhesus macaques to model the impact of ART on TB reactivation due to HIV-induced immunosuppression. ART significantly reduced viral loads and increased CD4+ T-cell counts in blood, spleen, and bronchoalveolar lavage samples, but it did not reduce the risk of SIV-induced TB reactivation during the early phase of treatment. This study offers a translational model for the investigation of TB/SIV coinfection and the evaluation of treatment regimens to prevent TB reactivation in HIV-infected individuals. Supported by ORIP (P51OD011133, P51OD011132) and NIAID.

Induction and Characterization of Pancreatic Cancer in a Transgenic Pig Model

Boas et al., PLOS One. 2020.

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0239391

Preclinical testing of new therapies for pancreatic cancer has been challenging due to lack of a suitable large animal model. Pigs, however, have similar physiology and immune response to humans. Boas et al report the development of a porcine model for pancreatic cancer. H&E and immunohistochemical stains revealed undifferentiated carcinomas, like those of human pancreatobiliary systems. In several pigs, angiographies revealed that the artery supplying the pancreatic tumor could be catheterized using a 2.4 F microcatheter. In summary, pancreatic cancer can be induced in a transgenic pig, and intra-arterial procedures using catheters designed for human interventions were feasible in this model. Supported by ORIP (U42OD011140) and NCI.