Pyelonephritis decreases serum cholesterol and mitigates atherosclerosis severity despite systemic inflammation

Urinary tract infections are common and often recur. Using a pyelonephritis mouse model, we investigated the interplay between renal and systemic inflammation. Bulk RNA sequencing analysis of kidneys collected 16 hours post-infection was performed to identify novel regulators and modulators of inflammatory pathways. Our results highlight key molecular signatures involved in both local and systemic immune responses, providing new insights into the regulatory networks underlying the pathophysiology of pyelonephritis. Overall design: Female C57BL/6J mice were infected with uropathogenic E. coli strain 536, which was instilled into the bladder twice at a 3-hour interval. Kidneys were harvested 16 hours after the second infection. Control mice received urethral instillation with PBS.