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. 2022 Apr 27;27(9):2792.
doi: 10.3390/molecules27092792.

Lymph Nodes Draining Infections Investigated by PET and Immunohistochemistry in a Juvenile Porcine Model

Pia Afzelius  1   2 , Malene Kjelin Morsing  3 , Ole Lerberg Nielsen  3 , Aage Kristian Olsen Alstrup  4   5 , Svend Borup Jensen  2   6 , Lars Jødal  2
Affiliations

Lymph Nodes Draining Infections Investigated by PET and Immunohistochemistry in a Juvenile Porcine Model

Pia Afzelius et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Background: [18F]FDG and [11C]methionine accumulate in lymph nodes draining S. aureus -infected foci. The lymph nodes were characterized by weight, [11C]methionine- and [18F]FDG-positron emissions tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT), and immunohistochemical (IHC)-staining.

Methods: 20 pigs inoculated with S. aureus into the right femoral artery were PET/CT-scanned with [18F]FDG, and nine of the pigs were additionally scanned with [11C]methionine. Mammary, medial iliac, and popliteal lymph nodes from the left and right hind limbs were weighed. IHC-staining for calculations of area fractions of Ki-67, L1, and IL-8 positive cells was done in mammary and popliteal lymph nodes from the nine pigs.

Results: The pigs developed one to six osteomyelitis foci. Some pigs developed contiguous infections of peri-osseous tissue and inoculation-site abscesses. Weights of mammary and medial iliac lymph nodes and their [18F]FDG maximum Standardized Uptake Values (SUVFDGmax) showed a significant increase in the inoculated limb compared to the left limb. Popliteal lymph node weight and their FDG uptake did not differ significantly between hind limbs. Area fractions of Ki-67 and IL-8 in the right mammary lymph nodes and SUVMetmax in the right popliteal lymph nodes were significantly increased compared with the left side.

Conclusion: The PET-tracers [18F]FDG and [11C]methionine, and the IHC- markers Ki-67 and IL-8, but not L1, showed increased values in lymph nodes draining soft tissues infected with S. aureus. The increase in [11C]methionine may indicate a more acute lymph node response, whereas an increase in [18F]FDG may indicate a more chronic response.

Keywords: IL-8; Ki-67; PET; Staphylococcus aureus; [11C]methionine; [18F]FDG; calcium-binding leukocyte L1; immunohistochemistry; lymph nodes; pig model.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Lymph nodes. Photo of right hind limb of a juvenile pig. Arrows indicate positions of A, right popliteal; and B, right mammary lymph nodes. The medial iliac lymph nodes (right and left) are located within the abdominal cavity on the surface of the iliac bones (Figure 2).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Medial iliac lymph nodes. A photo at necropsy of the caudal pig abdomen. The picture shows the right enlarged medial iliac lymph node (solid arrow) draining the infected hind limb. The lesser left lymph node (dashed arrow) drained the left non-infected left hind limb.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Inoculation abscess. A photo of a chronic lesion as identified by abscesses with peripheral capsular formation (arrow) at the inoculation site in between muscle tissue above the right femoral artery.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Area fractions. IHC stained lymph node tissue identifying Ki-67 (pig 3), L1 (pig 2), and IL-8 (pig 5) positive cells as indicated (a,c,e), and corresponding automatic threshold identification of positive cells with subsequent green labeling of the cells using Visiopharm Image Analysis Software (b,d,f). Scale bar = 50 µm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Grants and funding

The study was supported by the Danish Council for Independent Research, Technology, and Production Sciences; grant no. 0602-01911B (11-107077).

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