A murine intraperitoneal infection model reveals that host resistance to Campylobacter jejuni is Nramp1 dependent

We tested the hypothesis that host resistance to Campylobacter jejuni is Nramp1 dependent. Following intraperitoneal (IP) inoculation of Nramp1+/+ and isogenic Nramp1-deficient (Nramp1−/−) mice C. jejuni primarily associated with mac1-positive cells in liver tissue. A significant reduction of C. jejuni was observed in Nramp1+/+ mice 4 days post-infection (PI) (liver) and 8 days PI cecum-colon. In contrast, Nramp1−/− mice showed no significant reduction of C. jejuni and instead had a chronic inflammatory response and significant histopathological lesions 30 days PI. Differential cytokine profiles were observed in C. jejuni infected Nramp1+/+ and Nramp1−/− primary dendritic cells. Taken together these data indicate that Nramp1 is critical for host resistance to C. jejuni.