Bacterial lesions in the kidneys of DNase-deficient mice are positive for biofilm staining and confer resistance to antibiotics. D1−/−D1L3−/− DKO mice were infected i.v. with 1 × 107 CFU of S. aureus, and their kidneys were examined by immunohistochemistry 72 h later. (A–D) Sections of DKO mice were stained with DAPI, antibodies to S. aureus, and anti-WTA antibody that detects biofilms in vivo. Shown are low-magnification images of the entire kidney (A and B; scale bar, 1 mm) and magnified images of boxed areas (C and D; scale bars, 250 μm). Representative of four samples; no staining was observed with an isotype control for anti-WTA (data not shown). (E and F) Survival of mice that were infected i.v. with 1 × 107 CFU of S. aureus and injected s.c. with vancomycin or PBS 24 h later. (E) WT mice, n = 5 per treatment group. (F) DKO mice, n = 10 per treatment group. Statistical significance between groups was determined by log-rank (Mantel–Cox) test. Two-tailed P values <0.05 (*).
