Transcription in peripheral and alveolar neutrophils during pneumococcal pneumonia

The goal of this study is to investigate changes in gene transcription during pneumonia by neutrophils migrating to the lung, compared with those remaining in the peripheral circulation. C57BL/6 mice were infected with S. pneumoniae or saline control for 24 hours. Flow cytometry assisted cell sorting was used to isolate neutrophils from peripheral blood in infected and uninfected mice, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in infected mice. Three mice were used per group, noting that peripheral blood and BALF from infected mice were harvested from the same mouse. Experiments were repeated on two separate days.