Ablation of the Tamm-Horsfall protein gene increases susceptibility of mice to bladder colonization by type 1-fimbriatedEscherichia coli

2004 ◽  
Vol 286 (4) ◽  
pp. F795-F802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lan Mo ◽  
Xin-Hua Zhu ◽  
Hong-Ying Huang ◽  
Ellen Shapiro ◽  
David L. Hasty ◽  
...  

The adhesion of uropathogenic Escherichia coli to the urothelial surface of the bladder is a prerequisite for the establishment of bladder infections. This adhesion process relies on E. coli adhesins and their cognate urothelial receptors, and it also is influenced by an intricate array of defense mechanisms of the urinary system. In this study, we examined the in vivo role of Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP), the most abundant urinary protein, in innate urinary defense. We genetically ablated the mouse THP gene and found that THP deficiency predisposes mice to bladder infections by type 1-fimbriated E. coli. Inoculation of too few type 1-fimbriated E. coli to colonize wild-type mice caused significant bladder colonization in THP-knockout mice. In contrast, THP deficiency did not enhance the ability of P-fimbriated E. coli to colonize the bladder. Our results provide the first in vivo evidence indicating that under physiological conditions, the mannosylated THP can serve as an effective soluble “receptor,” binding to the type 1-fimbriated E. coli and competitively inhibiting them from adhering to the uroplakin Ia receptors present on the urothelial surface. These results suggest that potential THP defects, either quantitative or qualitative, could predispose the urinary bladder to bacterial infections. The generation of THP-deficient mice established the role of THP as a first line of urinary defense and should help elucidate other potential functions of this major protein in urinary tract physiology and diseases.

2007 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 771-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stina Lindberg ◽  
Yan Xia ◽  
Berit Sondén ◽  
Mikael Göransson ◽  
Jörg Hacker ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain J96 carries multiple determinants for fimbrial adhesins. The regulatory protein PapB of P fimbriae has previously been implicated in potential coregulatory events. The focB gene of the F1C fimbria determinant is highly homologous to papB; the translated sequences share 81% identity. In this study we investigated the role of PapB and FocB in regulation of the F1C fimbriae. By using gel mobility shift assays, we showed that FocB binds to sequences in both the pap and foc operons in a somewhat different manner than PapB. The results of both in vitro cross-linking and in vivo oligomerization tests indicated that FocB could function in an oligomeric fashion. Furthermore, our results suggest that PapB and FocB can form heterodimers and that these complexes can repress expression of the foc operon. The effect of FocB on expression of type 1 fimbriae was also tested. Taken together, the results that we present expand our knowledge about a regulatory network for different adhesin gene systems in uropathogenic E. coli and suggest a hierarchy for expression of the fimbrial adhesins.


Proceedings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Leila Mousavifar ◽  
René Roy

Antagonists of the uropathogenic Escherichia coli type-1 fimbrial adhesin (FimH) are recognized as attractive alternatives for antibiotic therapies and prophylactic strategies against acute and recurrent bacterial infections. [...]


2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (8) ◽  
pp. 4662-4668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Sánchez-Céspedes ◽  
Emma Sáez-López ◽  
N. Frimodt-Møller ◽  
Jordi Vila ◽  
Sara M. Soto

ABSTRACTFluoroquinolones are among the drugs most extensively used for the treatment of bacterial infections in human and veterinary medicine. Resistance to quinolones can be chromosome or plasmid mediated. The chromosomal mechanism of resistance is associated with mutations in the DNA gyrase- and topoisomerase IV-encoding genes and mutations in regulatory genes affecting different efflux systems, among others. We studied the role of the acquisition of a mutation in thegyrAgene in the virulence and protein expression of uropathogenicEscherichia coli(UPEC). The HC14366M strain carrying a mutation in thegyrAgene (S83L) was found to lose the capacity to cause cystitis and pyelonephritis mainly due to a decrease in the expression of thefimA,papA,papB, andompAgenes. The levels of expression of thefimA,papB, andompAgenes were recovered on complementing the strain with a plasmid containing thegyrAwild-type gene. However, only a slight recovery was observed in the colonization of the bladder in the GyrA complement strain compared to the mutant strain in a murine model of ascending urinary tract infection. In conclusion, a mutation in thegyrAgene of uropathogenicE. colireduced the virulence of the bacteria, likely in association with the effect of DNA supercoiling on the expression of several virulence factors and proteins, thereby decreasing their capacity to cause cystitis and pyelonephritis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 6865
Author(s):  
Eun Seon Lee ◽  
Joung Hun Park ◽  
Seong Dong Wi ◽  
Ho Byoung Chae ◽  
Seol Ki Paeng ◽  
...  

The thioredoxin-h (Trx-h) family of Arabidopsis thaliana comprises cytosolic disulfide reductases. However, the physiological function of Trx-h2, which contains an additional 19 amino acids at its N-terminus, remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the molecular function of Trx-h2 both in vitro and in vivo and found that Arabidopsis Trx-h2 overexpression (Trx-h2OE) lines showed significantly longer roots than wild-type plants under cold stress. Therefore, we further investigated the role of Trx-h2 under cold stress. Our results revealed that Trx-h2 functions as an RNA chaperone by melting misfolded and non-functional RNAs, and by facilitating their correct folding into active forms with native conformation. We showed that Trx-h2 binds to and efficiently melts nucleic acids (ssDNA, dsDNA, and RNA), and facilitates the export of mRNAs from the nucleus to the cytoplasm under cold stress. Moreover, overexpression of Trx-h2 increased the survival rate of the cold-sensitive E. coli BX04 cells under low temperature. Thus, our data show that Trx-h2 performs function as an RNA chaperone under cold stress, thus increasing plant cold tolerance.


2006 ◽  
Vol 203 (7) ◽  
pp. 1795-1803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Himanshu Kumar ◽  
Taro Kawai ◽  
Hiroki Kato ◽  
Shintaro Sato ◽  
Ken Takahashi ◽  
...  

IFN-β promoter stimulator (IPS)-1 was recently identified as an adapter for retinoic acid–inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (Mda5), which recognize distinct RNA viruses. Here we show the critical role of IPS-1 in antiviral responses in vivo. IPS-1–deficient mice showed severe defects in both RIG-I– and Mda5-mediated induction of type I interferon and inflammatory cytokines and were susceptible to RNA virus infection. RNA virus–induced interferon regulatory factor-3 and nuclear factor κB activation was also impaired in IPS-1–deficient cells. IPS-1, however, was not essential for the responses to either DNA virus or double-stranded B-DNA. Thus, IPS-1 is the sole adapter in both RIG-I and Mda5 signaling that mediates effective responses against a variety of RNA viruses.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Gaurav ◽  
Varsha Gupta ◽  
Sandeep K. Shrivastava ◽  
Ranjana Pathania

AbstractThe increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance has become a global health problem. Acinetobacter baumannii is an important nosocomial pathogen due to its capacity to persist in the hospital environment. It has a high mortality rate and few treatment options. Antibiotic combinations can help to fight multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial infections, but they are rarely used in the clinics and mostly unexplored. The interaction between bacteriostatic and bactericidal antibiotics are mostly reported as antagonism based on the results obtained in the susceptible model laboratory strain Escherichia coli. However, in the present study, we report a synergistic interaction between nalidixic acid and tetracycline against clinical multi-drug resistant A. baumannii and E. coli. Here we provide mechanistic insight into this dichotomy. The synergistic combination was studied by checkerboard assay and time-kill curve analysis. We also elucidate the mechanism behind this synergy using several techniques such as fluorescence spectroscopy, flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, morphometric analysis, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Nalidixic acid and tetracycline combination displayed synergy against most of the MDR clinical isolates of A. baumannii and E. coli but not against susceptible isolates. Finally, we demonstrate that this combination is also effective in vivo in an A. baumannii/Caenorhabditis elegans infection model (p < 0.001)


Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 959 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jefferson Antônio Leite ◽  
Gabriela Pessenda ◽  
Isabel C. Guerra-Gomes ◽  
Alynne Karen Mendonça de Santana ◽  
Camila André Pereira ◽  
...  

Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), such as Nod2, Nlrp3, Tlr2, Trl4, and Tlr9, are directly involved in type 1 diabetes (T1D) susceptibility. However, the role of the cytosolic DNA sensor, AIM2, in T1D pathogenesis is still unknown. Here, we demonstrate that C57BL/6 mice lacking AIM2 (AIM2−/−) are prone to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced T1D, compared to WT C57BL/6 mice. The AIM2−/− mice phenotype is associated with a greater proinflammatory response in pancreatic tissues, alterations in gut microbiota and bacterial translocation to pancreatic lymph nodes (PLNs). These alterations are related to an increased intestinal permeability mediated by tight-junction disruption. Notably, AIM2−/− mice treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics (ABX) are protected from STZ-induced T1D and display a lower pancreatic proinflammatory response. Mechanistically, the AIM2 inflammasome is activated in vivo, leading to an IL-18 release in the ileum at 15 days after an STZ injection. IL-18 favors RegIIIγ production, thus mitigating gut microbiota alterations and reinforcing the intestinal barrier function. Together, our findings show a regulatory role of AIM2, mediated by IL-18, in shaping gut microbiota and reducing bacterial translocation and proinflammatory response against insulin-producing β cells, which ultimately results in protection against T1D onset in an STZ-induced diabetes model.


Microbiology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 151 (7) ◽  
pp. 2291-2299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Fälker ◽  
M. Alexander Schmidt ◽  
Gerhard Heusipp

DNA adenine methyltransferase (Dam) plays an important role in physiological processes of Gram-negative bacteria such as mismatch repair and replication. In addition, Dam regulates the expression of virulence genes in various species. The authors cloned the dam gene of Yersinia enterocolitica and showed that Dam is essential for viability. Dam overproduction in Y. enterocolitica resulted in an increased frequency of spontaneous mutation and decreased resistance to 2-aminopurine; however, these effects were only marginal compared to the effect of overproduction of Escherichia coli-derived Dam in Y. enterocolitica, implying different roles or activities of Dam in mismatch repair of the two species. These differences in Dam function are not the cause for the essentiality of Dam in Y. enterocolitica, as Dam of E. coli can complement a dam defect in Y. enterocolitica. Instead, Dam seems to interfere with expression of essential genes. Furthermore, Dam mediates virulence of Y. enterocolitica. Dam overproduction results in increased tissue culture invasion of Y. enterocolitica, while the expression of specifically in vivo-expressed genes is not altered.


mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adria Carbo ◽  
Danyvid Olivares-Villagómez ◽  
Raquel Hontecillas ◽  
Josep Bassaganya-Riera ◽  
Rupesh Chaturvedi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe development of gastritis duringHelicobacter pyloriinfection is dependent on an activated adaptive immune response orchestrated by T helper (Th) cells. However, the relative contributions of the Th1 and Th17 subsets to gastritis and control of infection are still under investigation. To investigate the role of interleukin-21 (IL-21) in the gastric mucosa duringH. pyloriinfection, we combined mathematical modeling of CD4+T cell differentiation within vivomechanistic studies. We infected IL-21-deficient and wild-type mice withH. pyloristrain SS1 and assessed colonization, gastric inflammation, cellular infiltration, and cytokine profiles. ChronicallyH. pylori-infected IL-21-deficient mice had higherH. pyloricolonization, significantly less gastritis, and reduced expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines compared to these parameters in infected wild-type littermates. Thesein vivodata were used to calibrate anH. pyloriinfection-dependent, CD4+T cell-specific computational model, which then described the mechanism by which IL-21 activates the production of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and IL-17 during chronicH. pyloriinfection. The model predicted activated expression of T-bet and RORγt and the phosphorylation of STAT3 and STAT1 and suggested a potential role of IL-21 in the modulation of IL-10. Driven by our modeling-derived predictions, we found reduced levels of CD4+splenocyte-specifictbx21androrcexpression, reduced phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3, and an increase in CD4+T cell-specific IL-10 expression inH. pylori-infected IL-21-deficient mice. Our results indicate that IL-21 regulates Th1 and Th17 effector responses during chronicH. pyloriinfection in a STAT1- and STAT3-dependent manner, therefore playing a major role controllingH. pyloriinfection and gastritis.IMPORTANCEHelicobacter pyloriis the dominant member of the gastric microbiota in more than 50% of the world’s population.H. pyloricolonization has been implicated in gastritis and gastric cancer, as infection withH. pyloriis the single most common risk factor for gastric cancer. Current data suggest that, in addition to bacterial virulence factors, the magnitude and types of immune responses influence the outcome of colonization and chronic infection. This study uses a combined computational and experimental approach to investigate how IL-21, a proinflammatory T cell-derived cytokine, maintains the chronic proinflammatory T cell immune response driving chronic gastritis duringH. pyloriinfection. This research will also provide insight into a myriad of other infectious and immune disorders in which IL-21 is increasingly recognized to play a central role. The use of IL-21-related therapies may provide treatment options for individuals chronically colonized withH. pylorias an alternative to aggressive antibiotics.


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