scholarly journals Flagellum and toxin phase variation impacts intestinal colonization and disease development in a mouse model of Clostridioides difficile infection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominika Trzilova ◽  
Mercedes A. H. Warren ◽  
Nicole C. Gadda ◽  
Caitlin L. Williams ◽  
Rita Tamayo
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Dna Recombination ◽  
Phase Variation ◽  
Toxin Production ◽  
Disease Development ◽  
Hamster Model ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
The Right

AbstractClostridioides difficile is a major nosocomial pathogen that can cause severe, toxin-mediated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. Recent work has shown that C. difficile exhibits heterogeneity in swimming motility and toxin production in vitro through phase variation by site-specific DNA recombination. The recombinase RecV reversibly inverts the flagellar switch sequence upstream of the flgB operon, leading to the ON/OFF expression of flagellum and toxin genes. How this phenomenon impacts C. difficile virulence in vivo remains unknown. We identified mutations in the right inverted repeat that reduced or prevented flagellar switch inversion by RecV. We introduced these mutations into C. difficile R20291 to create strains with the flagellar switch “locked” in either the ON or OFF orientation. These mutants exhibited a loss of flagellum and toxin phase variation during growth in vitro, yielding precisely modified mutants suitable for assessing virulence in vivo. In a hamster model of acute C. difficile infection, the phase-locked ON mutant caused greater toxin accumulation than the phase locked OFF mutant but did not differ significantly in the ability to cause acute disease symptoms. In contrast, in a mouse model, preventing flagellum and toxin phase variation affected the ability of C. difficile to colonize the intestinal tract and to elicit weight loss, which is attributable to differences in toxin production during infection. These results show that the ability of C. difficile to phase vary flagella and toxins influences colonization and disease development and suggest that the phenotypic variants generated by flagellar switch inversion have distinct capacities for causing disease.

scholarly journals Regulatory Mechanism for Exfoliative Toxin Production inStaphylococcus aureus

2011 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 1660-1670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fuminori Kato ◽  
Noriko Kadomoto ◽  
Yuko Iwamoto ◽  
Katsuaki Bunai ◽  
Hitoshi Komatsuzawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Regulatory Mechanism ◽  
Toxin Production ◽  
Neonatal Mouse ◽  
Epidermal Keratinocytes ◽  
Global Regulators ◽  
Exfoliative Toxin ◽  
Blistering Disease

ABSTRACTThe exfoliative toxin (ET) is a major virulence factor ofStaphylococcus aureusthat causes bullous impetigo and its disseminated form, staphylococcal scalded-skin syndrome (SSSS). ET selectively digests one of the intracellular adhesion molecules, desmoglein 1, of epidermal keratinocytes and causes blisters due to intraepidermal cell-cell dissociation. MostS. aureusstrains that cause blistering disease produce either ETA or ETB. They are serologically distinct molecules, where ETA is encoded on a phage genome and ETB is enocded on a large plasmid. ETA-producingS. aureusstrains are frequently isolated from impetigo patients, and ETB-producingS. aureusstrains are isolated from SSSS. ET-induced blister formation can be reproduced with the neonatal mouse. To determine the regulatory mechanism of ET production, we investigated the role of the two-component systems and global regulators foretaoretbexpressionin vitroandin vivowith the mouse model. Western blot and transcription analyses using a series of mutants demonstrate ETA production was downregulated bysigB,sarS, andsarA, while ETB production was downregulated bysigBandsarAbut not bysarS. Production of both toxins is upregulated bysaeRS,arlRS, andagrCA. Furthermore, by thein vivoneonatal mouse model,sigBandsarSbut notsarAnegatively regulate the exfoliation activity of the ETA-producing strain, whilesarAnegatively regulates the ETB-producing strain. In both strains,saeRS,arlRS, andagrCApositively regulate the exfoliation activityin vivo. The data illustrate similar but distinct regulatory mechanisms for ETA and ETB productionin S. aureus in vitroas well asin vivo.

scholarly journals Alimentary and Pharmaceutical Approach to Natural Antimicrobials against Clostridioides difficile Gastrointestinal Infection

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1124
Author(s):  
Miguel Tortajada-Girbés ◽  
Alejandro Rivas ◽  
Manuel Hernández ◽  
Ana González ◽  
Maria A. Ferrús ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxin Production ◽  
Gastrointestinal Infection ◽  
Natural Antimicrobials ◽  
Gastrointestinal Microbiome ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile Infection ◽  
Successful Control ◽  
Marine Bioactives

Incidence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has been increasing in recent decades due to different factors, namely (i) extended use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, (ii) transmission within asymptomatic and susceptible patients, and (iii) unbalanced gastrointestinal microbiome and collateral diseases that favor C. difficile gastrointestinal domination and toxin production. Although antibiotic therapies have resulted in successful control of CDI in the last 20 years, the development of novel strategies is urged in order to combat the capability of C. difficile to generate and acquire resistance to conventional treatments and its consequent proliferation. In this regard, vegetable and marine bioactives have emerged as alternative and effective molecules to fight against this concerning pathogen. The present review examines the effectiveness of natural antimicrobials from vegetable and algae origin that have been used experimentally in in vitro and in vivo settings to prevent and combat CDI. The aim of the present work is to contribute to accurately describe the prospective use of emerging antimicrobials as future nutraceuticals and preventive therapies, namely (i) as dietary supplement to prevent CDI and reduce CDI recurrence by means of microbiota modulation and (ii) administering them complementarily to other treatments requiring antibiotics to prevent C. difficile gut invasion and infection progression.

scholarly journals Epidemic Ribotypes Of Clostridium (Now Clostridioides) Difficile Are Likely To Be More Virulent Than Non-Epidemic Ribotypes In Animal Models

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Vitucci ◽  
Mark Pulse ◽  
Leslie Tabor-Simecka ◽  
Jerry W. Simecka
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Toxin Production ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial ◽  
Toxin B ◽  
Golden Syrian Hamster ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Conflicting Evidence ◽  
Epithelial Cell Lines

Abstract Background: Clostridioides difficile infections have become more frequently diagnosed and associated with greater disease severity, which has resulted in an increase burden on the healthcare system. These increases are attributed to the increased prevalence of hypervirulent strains encompassing select ribotypes. These epidemic ribotypes were characterized as hypervirulent due to higher in vitro spore and toxin production, as well as increased incidence, severity and mortality within patients. However, it is unclear whether epidemic ribotypes are truly more virulent than non-epidemic ribotypes in vivo. Furthermore, there is conflicting evidence about the ability of a strain’s in vitro phenotype to be predictive of their in vivo virulence. The goals of the current studies were to determine if epidemic ribotypes are more virulent than other ribotypes in animal models, and whether the in vitro virulence phenotype of an isolate or ribotype predict in vivo virulence. Results. To determine if epidemic strains were truly more virulent than other non-epidemic strains, the in vivo virulence of thirteen C. difficile isolates (7 non-epidemic and 6 epidemic ribotype isolates) were determined in murine (C57BL/6 mice) and hamster (golden Syrian hamster) models of C. difficile infections. The isolates of epidemic ribotype of C. difficile were found to be more virulent in both the murine and hamster models than non-epidemic isolates. In particular, the group of epidemic ribotypes of C. difficile had lower LD 50 values in hamsters. The increased severity of disease was associated with higher levels of Toxin A and Toxin B production found in fecal samples, but not numbers of organisms recovered. The isolates were further characterized for their in vitro virulence phenotypes, e.g. toxin production, growth rates, spore formation and adherence of spores to intestinal epithelial cell lines. Although there were higher levels of toxins produced and greater adherence for the group of epidemic ribotypes, the in vitro profiles of individual isolates were not always predictive of their in vivo virulence. Conclusions. Overall, the group of epidemic ribotypes of C. difficile were more virulent in vivo despite individual isolates having similar phenotypes to the non-epidemic isolates in vitro .

Repurposing auranofin as a Clostridioides difficile therapeutic

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie L Hutton ◽  
Havva Pehlivanoglu ◽  
Callum J Vidor ◽  
Meagan L James ◽  
Melanie J Thomson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Toxin Production ◽  
Spore Production ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
New Treatment ◽  
Gut Damage

Abstract Background Clostridioides difficile (previously Clostridium difficile) is the leading cause of nosocomial, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea worldwide. Currently, the gold standard of treatment for C. difficile infection (CDI) is vancomycin or metronidazole, although these antibiotics also perturb the protective resident microbiota, often resulting in disease relapse. Thus, an urgent need remains for the development of new treatment strategies. Auranofin is an FDA-approved oral antirheumatic drug that was previously shown to inhibit C. difficile vegetative cell growth, toxin production and spore production in vitro. Objectives To determine the efficacy of auranofin as a CDI therapeutic by examining the effect of treatment on toxin and spore production in vitro and in vivo, and on disease outcomes in mice. Methods C. difficile cultures were treated with auranofin and examined for effects on sporulation and toxin production by sporulation assay and ELISA, respectively. Mice were pretreated with auranofin prior to infection with C. difficile and monitored for physiological conditions, survival and gut damage compared with control animals. Faeces from mice were analysed to determine whether auranofin reduces sporulation and toxin production in vivo. Results Auranofin significantly reduces sporulation and toxin production under in vitro conditions and in infected mice in vivo. Mice treated with auranofin lost less weight, displayed a significant increase in survival rates and had significantly less toxin-mediated damage in their colon and caecum compared with control mice. Conclusions Auranofin shows promise as a prospective therapeutic option for C. difficile infections.

scholarly journals Epidemic Ribotypes Of Clostridium (Now Clostridioides) Difficile Are Likely To Be More Virulent Than Non-epidemic Ribotypes In Animal Models

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Vitucci ◽  
Mark Pulse ◽  
Leslie Tabor-Simecka ◽  
Jerry W. Simecka
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Toxin Production ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial ◽  
Toxin B ◽  
Golden Syrian Hamster ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Conflicting Evidence ◽  
Epithelial Cell Lines

Abstract Background. Clostridium difficile infections have become more frequently diagnosed and associated with greater disease severity, which has resulted in an increase burden on the healthcare system. These increases are attributed to the increased prevalence of hypervirulent strains encompassing select ribotypes. These epidemic ribotypes were characterized as hypervirulent due to higher in vitro spore and toxin production, as well as increased incidence, severity and mortality within patients. However, it is unclear whether epidemic ribotypes are truly more virulent than non-epidemic ribotypes in vivo. Furthermore, there is conflicting evidence about the ability of a strain’s in vitro phenotype to be predictive of their in vivo virulence. The goals of the current studies were to determine if epidemic ribotypes are more virulent than other ribotypes in animal models, and whether the in vitro virulence phenotype of an isolate or ribotype predict in vivo virulence. Results. To determine if epidemic strains were truly more virulent than other non-epidemic strains, the in vivo virulence of thirteen C. difficile isolates (7 non-epidemic and 6 epidemic ribotype isolates) were determined in murine (C57BL/6 mice) and hamster (golden Syrian hamster) models of C. difficile infections. The isolates of epidemic ribotype of C. difficile were found to be more virulent in both the murine and hamster models than non-epidemic isolates. In particular, the group of epidemic ribotypes of C. difficile had lower LD50 values in hamsters. The increased severity of disease was associated with higher levels of Toxin A and Toxin B production found in fecal samples, but not numbers of organisms recovered. The isolates were further characterized for their in vitro virulence phenotypes, e.g. toxin production, growth rates, spore formation and adherence of spores to intestinal epithelial cell lines. Although there were higher levels of toxins produced and greater adherence for the group of epidemic ribotypes, the in vitro profiles of individual isolates were not always predictive of their in vivo virulence. Conclusions. Overall, the group of epidemic ribotypes of C. difficile were more virulent in vivo despite individual isolates having similar phenotypes to the non-epidemic isolates in vitro.

scholarly journals Toxin A–Predominant Pathogenic Clostridioides difficile: A Novel Clinical Phenotype

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (12) ◽  
pp. 2628-2633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianyun Lin ◽  
Nira R Pollock ◽  
Alice Banz ◽  
Aude Lantz ◽  
Hua Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Toxin Production ◽  
Toxin A ◽  
Toxin B ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Quantitative Immunoassay ◽  
Clinical Detection ◽  
Stool Samples

Abstract Background Most Clostridioides difficile toxinogenic strains produce both toxins A and B (A+B+), but toxin A–negative, toxin B–positive (A−B+) variants also cause disease. We report the identification of a series of pathogenic clinical C. difficile isolates that produce high amounts of toxin A with low or nondetectable toxin B. Methods An ultrasensitive, quantitative immunoassay was used to measure toxins A and B in stool samples from 187 C. difficile infection (CDI) patients and 44 carriers. Isolates were cultured and assessed for in vitro toxin production and in vivo phenotypes (mouse CDI model). Results There were 7 CDI patients and 6 carriers who had stools with detectable toxin A (TcdA, range 23–17 422 pg/mL; 5.6% of samples overall) but toxin B (TcdB) below the clinical detection limit (<20 pg/mL; median TcdA:B ratio 17.93). Concentrations of toxin A far exceeded B in in vitro cultures of all 12 recovered isolates (median TcdA:B ratio 26). Of 8 toxin A>>B isolates tested in mice, 4 caused diarrhea, and 3 of those 4 caused lethal disease. Ribotyping demonstrated strain diversity. TcdA-predominant samples were also identified at 2 other centers, with similar frequencies (7.5% and 6.8%). Conclusions We report the discovery of clinical pathogenic C. difficile strains that produce high levels of toxin A but minimal or no toxin B. This pattern of toxin production is not rare (>5% of isolates) and is consistently observed in vitro and in vivo in humans and mice. Our study highlights the significance of toxin A in human CDI pathogenesis and has important implications for CDI diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine development.

scholarly journals EPIDEMIC RIBOTYPES OF CLOSTRIDIUM (NOW CLOSTRIDIOIDES) DIFFICILE ARE LIKELY TO BE MORE VIRULENT THAN NON-EPIDEMIC RIBOTYPES IN ANIMAL MODELS

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Vitucci ◽  
Mark Pulse ◽  
Leslie Tabor-Simecka ◽  
Jerry W. Simecka
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Toxin Production ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial ◽  
Toxin B ◽  
Golden Syrian Hamster ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Conflicting Evidence ◽  
Epithelial Cell Lines

Abstract Background . Clostridioides difficile infections have become more frequently diagnosed and associated with greater disease severity, which has resulted in an increase burden on the healthcare system. These increases are attributed to the increased prevalence of hypervirulent strains encompassing select ribotypes. These epidemic ribotypes were characterized as hypervirulent due to higher in vitro spore and toxin production, as well as increased incidence, severity and mortality within patients. However, it is unclear whether epidemic ribotypes are truly more virulent than non-epidemic ribotypes in vivo. Furthermore, there is conflicting evidence about the ability of a strain’s in vitro phenotype to be predictive of their in vivo virulence. The goals of the current studies were to determine if epidemic ribotypes are more virulent than other ribotypes in animal models, and whether the in vitro virulence phenotype of an isolate or ribotype predict in vivo virulence. Results. To determine if epidemic strains were truly more virulent than other non-epidemic strains, the in vivo virulence of thirteen C. difficile isolates (7 non-epidemic and 6 epidemic ribotype isolates) were determined in murine (C57BL/6 mice) and hamster (golden Syrian hamster) models of C. difficile infections. The isolates of epidemic ribotype of C. difficile were found to be more virulent in both the murine and hamster models than non-epidemic isolates. In particular, the group of epidemic ribotypes of C. difficile had lower LD 50 values in hamsters. The increased severity of disease was associated with higher levels of Toxin A and Toxin B production found in fecal samples, but not numbers of organisms recovered. The isolates were further characterized for their in vitro virulence phenotypes, e.g. toxin production, growth rates, spore formation and adherence of spores to intestinal epithelial cell lines. Although there were higher levels of toxins produced and greater adherence for the group of epidemic ribotypes, the in vitro profiles of individual isolates were not always predictive of their in vivo virulence. Conclusions. Overall, the group of epidemic ribotypes of C. difficile were more virulent in vivo despite individual isolates having similar phenotypes to the non-epidemic isolates in vitro .

Evaluation of 99mTc-Label led Vitamin K4 as an Agent for Testicular Imaging

1991 ◽  
Vol 30 (01) ◽  
pp. 35-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. S. Durak ◽  
M. Kitapgi ◽  
B. E. Caner ◽  
R. Senekowitsch ◽  
M. T. Ercan
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Left Testis ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Activity Ratios ◽  
The Right ◽  
Radioactivity Levels

Vitamin K4 was labelled with 99mTc with an efficiency higher than 97%. The compound was stable up to 24 h at room temperature, and its biodistribution in NMRI mice indicated its in vivo stability. Blood radioactivity levels were high over a wide range. 10% of the injected activity remained in blood after 24 h. Excretion was mostly via kidneys. Only the liver and kidneys concentrated appreciable amounts of radioactivity. Testis/soft tissue ratios were 1.4 and 1.57 at 6 and 24 h, respectively. Testis/blood ratios were lower than 1. In vitro studies with mouse blood indicated that 33.9 ±9.6% of the radioactivity was associated with RBCs; it was washed out almost completely with saline. Protein binding was 28.7 ±6.3% as determined by TCA precipitation. Blood clearance of 99mTc-l<4 in normal subjects showed a slow decrease of radioactivity, reaching a plateau after 16 h at 20% of the injected activity. In scintigraphic images in men the testes could be well visualized. The right/left testis ratio was 1.08 ±0.13. Testis/soft tissue and testis/blood activity ratios were highest at 3 h. These ratios were higher than those obtained with pertechnetate at 20 min post injection.99mTc-l<4 appears to be a promising radiopharmaceutical for the scintigraphic visualization of testes.

Enhanced Increases in Cytosolic Ca2+ in ADP-Stimulated Platelets from Patients with Delta-Storage Pool Deficiency – A Possible Indicator of Interactions between Granule-Bound ADP and the Membrane ADP Receptor

1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (02) ◽  
pp. 376-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Lages ◽  
Harvey J Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Rich Plasma ◽  
Limited Range ◽  
Dense Granule ◽  
Receptor Desensitization ◽  
Fura 2 ◽  
Storage Pool ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
The Right

SummaryThe possible involvement of secreted platelet substances in agonist- induced [Ca2+]i increases was investigated by comparing these increases in aspirin-treated, fura-2-loaded normal platelets and platelets from patients with storage pool deficiencies (SPD). In the presence and absence of extracellular calcium, the [Ca2+]i response induced by 10 µM ADP, but not those induced by 0.1 unit/ml thrombin, 3.3 µM U46619, or 20 µM serotonin, was significantly greater in SPD platelets than in normal platelets, and was increased to the greatest extent in SPD patients with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS), in whom the dense granule deficiencies are the most severe. Pre-incubation of SPD-HPS and normal platelets with 0.005-5 µM ADP produced a dose-dependent inhibition of the [Ca2+]i response induced by 10 µ M ADP, but did not alter the [Ca2+]i increases induced by thrombin or U46619. Within a limited range of ADP concentrations, the dose-inhibition curve of the [Ca2+]i response to 10 µM ADP was significantly shifted to the right in SPD-HPS platelets, indicating that pre-incubation with greater amounts of ADP were required to achieve the same extent of inhibition as in normal platelets. These results are consistent with a hypothesis that the smaller ADP-induced [Ca2+]i increases seen in normal platelets may result from prior interactions of dense granule ADP, released via leakage or low levels of activation, with membrane ADP receptors, causing receptor desensitization. Addition of apyrase to platelet-rich plasma prior to fura-2 loading increased the ADP-induced [Ca2+]i response in both normal and SPD-HPS platelets, suggesting that some release of ADP derived from both dense granule and non-granular sources occurs during in vitro fura-2 loading and platelet washing procedures. However, this [Ca2+]i response was also greater in SPD-HPS platelets when blood was collected with minimal manipulation directly into anticoagulant containing apyrase, raising the possibility that release of dense granule ADP resulting in receptor desensitization may also occur in vivo. Thus, in addition to enhancing platelet activation, dense granule ADP could also act to limit the ADP-mediated reactivity of platelets exposed in vivo to low levels of stimulation.

scholarly journals Functional Characterization of the mazEF Toxin-Antitoxin System in the Pathogenic Bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1107
Author(s):  
Wonho Choi ◽  
Yoshihiro Yamaguchi ◽  
Ji-Young Park ◽  
Sang-Hyun Park ◽  
Hyeok-Won Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agrobacterium Tumefaciens ◽  
Physiological Function ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
In Vitro Assays ◽  
Cell Growth Inhibition ◽  
The Right

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a pathogen of various plants which transfers its own DNA (T-DNA) to the host plants. It is used for producing genetically modified plants with this ability. To control T-DNA transfer to the right place, toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems of A. tumefaciens were used to control the target site of transfer without any unintentional targeting. Here, we describe a toxin-antitoxin system, Atu0939 (mazE-at) and Atu0940 (mazF-at), in the chromosome of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The toxin in the TA system has 33.3% identity and 45.5% similarity with MazF in Escherichia coli. The expression of MazF-at caused cell growth inhibition, while cells with MazF-at co-expressed with MazE-at grew normally. In vivo and in vitro assays revealed that MazF-at inhibited protein synthesis by decreasing the cellular mRNA stability. Moreover, the catalytic residue of MazF-at was determined to be the 24th glutamic acid using site-directed mutagenesis. From the results, we concluded that MazF-at is a type II toxin-antitoxin system and a ribosome-independent endoribonuclease. Here, we characterized a TA system in A. tumefaciens whose understanding might help to find its physiological function and to develop further applications.

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