LTa

Molecular group: 
Cytokines and receptors
Molecule/Cell: 
LTa
Plasmodium strain: 
Plasmodium berghei ANKA
pRBC infection titer: 
10^6
Mouse genetic background (Con): 
C57BL/6J
Level of backcrossing: 
N.I.
Experimental treatment group (EG): 
LTa -/-
Lethal infection (Con): 
yes
Lethal infection (EG): 
yes
Pathology (Con): 
CM
Pathology (EG): 
No CM
Parasitemia (EG vs Con): 
N.I.
Additional phenotypes (EG vs Con): 
No neurologic symptoms; ↑ levels (normal values) of [31P]-containing metabolites (phosphocreatinine (PCr), b-ATP and PCr:PME), similar levels (normal values) of phosphomonoesters (PME), and ↓ levels (normal values) of inorganic phosphate (Pi), Pi:b-ATP and Pi:PCr in brain 6-7 days p.i.; ↑ lactate, GABA and aspartate, and normal glutamate, alanine, NAA and glutamine metabolite pool sizes in brain (compared with uninfected LT-a -/- mice), however uninfected LT-a -/- mice had significantly different metabolite levels compared to uninfected WT, IFN-g -/-and TNF-a -/- mice, and brain lactate levels were ↑ but not to the same level as infected WT mice; no ↓ brain net flux of 13C from D-[1-13C]glucose into metabolic intermediates associated with Krebs cycle (normal compared to uninfected LT-a -/- mice), except for Ala C3 which did not change upon infection
Refs: 
Parekh et al., 2006, Int J Parasitol