Lung gene expression analysis of WT, Nlrp3-, Asc-deficient mice in Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 and ATCC6303 infection

Streptococcus (S.) pneumoniae is the most frequently isolated causative pathogen community-acquired pneumonia, a leading cause of mortality worldwide. We investigated the role of the inflammasome sensor NLRP3 and the inflammasome adapter ASC during S. pneumoniae pneumonia. Detailed analysis of the early inflammatory response in the lung by whole genome transcriptional profiling, we identified several mediators that were differentially expressed between Nlrp3-/- and Asc-/ - mice. WT, Nlrp3- and Asc-deficient mice were intranasally inocculated with Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 and ATCC6303 both at high and low dose. Lung homogenates were harvested and gene expression profiling was performed.