Susceptibility to Salmonella typhimurium infection and effectiveness of vaccination in mice deficient in the tumor necrosis factor alpha p55 receptor

Mice defective in the ability to produce the tumor necrosis factor alpha p55 receptor (TNF alpha p55R) were orally challenged with a number of Salmonella typhimurium HWSH derivatives that differ in virulence. In comparison to TNF alpha p55R(+/+) mice, TNP alpha p55R(-/-) mice succumbed earlier to challenge with wild-type S. typhimurium HWSH and S. typhimurium HWSH purE. In contrast, TNF alpha p55R(-/-) mice were able to control an S. typhimurium HWSH aroA challenge, although greater numbers of Salmonella organisms were present in the tissues for a longer time period than was observed with TNF alpha p55R(+/+) mice. Vaccination of normal and TNF alpha p55R knockout animals with S. typhimurium HWSH aroA showed that TNF alpha p55R(-/-) mice, unlike TNF alpha p55R(+/+) mice, were not protected against a virulent S. typhimurium HWSH challenge. Splenocytes from TNF alpha p55R(-/-) mice exhibited a reduced ability to proliferate in the presence of S. typhimurium antigen compared to TIFFYpp5R+/+ mice. Thus, TNP alpha p55R is essential for controlling Salmonella growth in tissues and for recall of immunity in murine salmonellosis.