The Sympathetic Nervous System Mediates Disease Progression in C. Difficile Infection
Year: 2024
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections in the United States, known for triggering severe disease by hyperactivation of the host response. In this study, we determine the impact of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) on CDI disease severity. Mouse models of CDI are administered inhibitors of SNS activity prior to CDI. Chemical sympathectomy or pharmacological inhibition of norepinephrine synthesis greatly reduces mortality and disease severity in the CDI model. Pharmacological blockade or genetic ablation of the alpha 2 adrenergic receptor ameliorates intestinal inflammation, disease severity, and mortality rate. These results underscore the role of the SNS and the alpha 2 adrenergic receptor in CDI pathogenesis and suggest that targeting neural systems could be a promising approach to therapy in severe disease.
Source: Libra
DOI: 10.18130/xc4j-hp23
Author: David Tyus
Institution: University of Virginia
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6887922147
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