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Ultrastructural study of adhesion of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli to erythrocytes and human intestinal epithelial cells.

The adhesion to erythrocytes and human intestinal epithelial cells of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains H10407, B2C, and H10407P, expressing colonization factor antigen I (CFA/I), CFA/II, and type 1 fimbriae, respectively, was examined by electron microscopy. CFA and type 1 fimbriae were visualized by negative staining in thin sections after en bloc staining with ruthenium red and by immune labeling with antisera raised against purified fimbriae. By negative and ruthenium red staining, CFA/I, CFA/II, and type 1 fimbriae were indistinguishable and appeared as approximately 7-nm-diameter hollow cylindrical structures up to 1.5 micron in length; strain B2C also produced 2- to 3-nm-diameter flexible fibrillar fimbriae. Bacteria producing CFA/I, CFA/II, and type 1 fimbriae adhered to and agglutinated human, bovine, and guinea pig erythrocytes, respectively; CFA/I and CFA/II also mediated attachment of bacteria to the brush border of isolated human duodenal enterocytes. Electron microscopy of agglutinated erythrocytes and enterocytes with adherent bacteria showed, in each case, that bacterial adhesion involved the formation of many interactions between the tips of fimbriae and receptors on the erythrocyte or enterocyte brush border membrane. Immune labeling allowed different fimbrial antigens mediating bacterial attachment to human enterocytes to be identified.

Animals↗

Characterization of nonfimbrial mannose-resistant protein hemagglutinins of two Escherichia coli strains isolated from infants with enteritis.

Escherichia coli strains 444-3 and 469-3, isolated from patients with severe infantile enteritis, are able to adhere to and penetrate human epithelial cells in culture. In addition to type 1 fimbriae and glycocalyces , both strains elaborate mannose-resistant nonfimbrial protein hemagglutinins specific for human erythrocytes. Purified agglutinins are aggregates (greater than 4 X 10(6) daltons) of a single protein subunit of apparent Mr 14,000 (469-3) to 14,500 (444-3). The optimal temperature for expression of the agglutinins is 37 degrees C. Bacteria grown at 22 degrees C, which show 1% or less of maximal activity, and mutants deficient in the ability to agglutinate human erythrocytes do not synthesize detectable levels of these surface proteins and, moreover, do not adhere to cultured epithelial cells. Coupled with the observation that purified agglutinins competitively inhibit bacterial adherence to cultured cells, these data indicate that the nonfimbrial surface proteins expressed by strains 444-3 and 469-3 are essential for adherence both to erythrocytes and to cultured epithelial cells.

Adhesiveness↗

Ultrastructural study of adherence to and penetration of cultured cells by two invasive Escherichia coli strains isolated from infants with enteritis.

The adherence of invasive Escherichia coli strains 444-3 and 469-3 to human erythrocytes and to cultured HeLa and HEp-2 cells has been examined by electron microscopy. Bacteria elaborating type 1 fimbriae, glycocalyces , and nonfimbrial mannose-resistant hemagglutinins specific for human erythrocytes were identified in cultures of both strains, and each of these different bacterial surface components appeared to be involved in attachment of 444-3 and 469-3 to cultured epithelial cells or human erythrocytes (or to both). Both strains, which were isolated from infants with dysentery-like illness, penetrated cultured epithelial cells and existed within membrane-bounded intracellular vesicles. Mutants of 444-3 and 469-3 selected for deficiency in mannose-resistant hemagglutination did not adhere to or penetrate cultured cells. These ultrastructural studies demonstrate the complexity of the bacterial surface and show that E. coli strains 444-3 and 469-3 can elaborate several different adhesions , each of which could function to promote attachment to host intestinal epithelial cells. Mucosal invasion may also be an important virulence property of these strains.

Adhesiveness↗

Adhesion of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli to human small intestinal enterocytes.

An improved enterocyte adhesion assay has been used to examine a collection of 44 strains of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) for their ability to adhere to the brush border of isolated human duodenal enterocytes. Fourteen strains showed good adhesion; in each case the ability to adhere correlated with the production of colonization factor antigen I or II (CFA/I or CFA/II) fimbriae. CFA/II-positive producing coli surface antigens 1 and 3 (CS1 and CS3), coli surface antigens 2 and 3 (CS2 and CS3), and only coli surface antigen 3 (CS3) each showed good adhesion. CS3-mediated brush border attachment of CFA/II-positive ETEC was demonstrated by electron microscopy with monospecific antibody and an immunogold labeling technique. One CFA/I-positive ETEC strain was nonadherent in the assay, as were ETEC producing type 1 somatic fimbriae. Five animal ETEC strains producing K88, K99, F41, and 987P fimbriae were slightly more adhesive than control strains, but adhesion was significantly less than that of CFA-positive ETEC. Twenty five human ETEC strains that lacked CFA/I and CFA/II were nonadherent, suggesting either that the surface antigens responsible for adhesion to human intestinal mucosa in these strains were not being produced or that mucosal receptors for these strains are present in regions of the small intestine other than the duodenum.

Adhesiveness↗

Characterization of the C-terminal domains of intimin-like proteins of enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii, and Hafnia alvei.

Surface proteins called intimins (Int), which are homologous to the invasin protein (Inv) of Yersinia spp., play a role in inducing brush border damage, termed attachment and effacement, which follows infection by enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii biotype 4280, and Hafnia alvei. Maltose-binding protein (MBP) fusions containing the C-terminal 280 amino acids of Int-like proteins of strains of enteropathogenic E. coli, enterohemorrhagic E. coli, H. alvei, and C. freundii biotype 4280 and of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Inv were constructed and purified. The 3' end of the gene for the H. alvei Int-like protein was sequenced and showed homology to corresponding regions of other Int-encoding genes. Binding of MBP-Int-like and MBP-Inv fusion proteins to HEp-2 cells was demonstrated by immunofluorescence microscopy and by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. MBP-Inv induced attachment and spreading of HEp-2 cells to plastic-coated wells, but MBP-Int-like fusion proteins did not. Preincubation of HEp-2 cells with MBP-Inv, but not with MBP-Int-like fusion proteins, inhibited MBP-Inv-induced cell attachment. Fixed staphylococci and fluorescent polymer microspheres coated with both MBP-Int-like and MBP-Inv fusion proteins showed enhanced adhesion to HEp-2 cells. These fusion proteins will facilitate studies of the role of intimin in the pathogenesis of diarrhea associated with members of the family Enterobacteriaeceae that induce attachment and effacement.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Molecular characterization of a carboxy-terminal eukaryotic-cell-binding domain of intimin from enteropathogenic Escherichia coli.

A eukaryotic cell-binding domain from the intimin (Int) polypeptide of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O127 (EPEC) was investigated. Derivatives of the carboxy-terminal 280-amino-acid domains of Int (Int-EPEC280) and the Int homolog invasin (Inv) from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (InvYP280) were fused to the E. coli maltose-binding protein (MBP), expressed, and purified. The smallest MBP-IntEPEC fusion protein that efficiently mediated binding to HEp-2 cells, monitored by using purified fusion proteins in fluorescence activated cell sorter analysis or by using fluorescent Covaspheres coated with purified fusions, contained the carboxy-terminal 150 amino acids of Int. Replacement of Cys-937 with Ser (IntEPEC280CS) destroyed the cell-binding activity of IntEPEC280. Covaspheres coated with MBP-IntEPEC280 were associated with HEp-2 cell microvilli but failed to induce actin accumulation underneath bound particles or cell spreading on coated plastic surfaces. MBP-IntEPEC280, but not MBP, MBP-IntEPEC280CS, or MBP-InvYP280, inhibited EPEC entry into HEp-2 cells.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

Adhesion of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli to pediatric intestinal mucosa in vitro.

Organ cultures of small- and large-intestinal mucosa from children were used to examine the interactions of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) with human intestine. Mucosae from patients aged between 3 and 190 months were cultured with five EAEC strains isolated from infants with diarrhea in the United Kingdom and with two well-described prototype EAEC strains, 17-2 and 221. The prototype strains adhered to jejunal, ileal, and colonic mucosae. The wild-type strains also adhered to this tissue but showed a variable pattern of adhesion: two adhered to all intestinal levels, one adhered to jejunum and ileum, one adhered to ileum only, and one adhered to ileum and colon. Adherence was in an aggregative or stacked-brick pattern, resembling that seen on HEp-2 cells. Electron microscopy of infected small intestinal mucosa revealed bacteria in association with a thick mucus layer above an intact enterocyte brush border, which contained extruded cell fragments. This mucus layer was not present on controls. EAEC adherence to colonic mucosa was associated with cytotoxic effects including microvillous vesiculation (but without evidence of an attaching/effacing lesion), enlarged crypt openings, the presence of intercrypt crevices, and increased epithelial cell extrusion. These results demonstrate that in vitro organ culture of intestinal mucosa from children can be used to investigate EAEC pathogenesis in childhood directly. EAEC strains appear able to colonize many regions of the gastrointestinal tract, without overt changes to small intestinal mucosa but with cytotoxic effects on colonic mucosa.

Adult↗

Intimin from enteropathogenic Escherichia coli restores murine virulence to a Citrobacter rodentium eaeA mutant: induction of an immunoglobulin A response to intimin and EspB.

The formation of attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions is central to the pathogenesis of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC)-mediated disease in humans and Citrobacter rodentium (formerly C. freundii biotype 4280)-mediated transmissible colonic hyperplasia in mice. Closely related outer membrane proteins, known as intimins, are required for formation of the A/E lesion by both EPEC (Int(EPEC)) and C. rodentium (Int(CR)). A secreted protein, EspB (formally EaeB), is also necessary for A/E-lesion formation. Here we report that expression of a cloned Int(EPEC), encoded by plasmid pCVD438, restores murine virulence to an intimin-deficient mutant of C. rodentium DBS255. Replacement of Cys937 with Ala abolished the ability of the cloned EPEC intimin to complement the deletion mutation in DBS255. Ultrastructural examination of tissues from wild-type C. rodentium and DBS255(pCVD438)-infected mice revealed multiple A/E lesion on infected cells and loss of contact between enterocytes and basement membrane. Histological investigation showed that although both wild-type C. rodentium and DBS255(pCVD438) colonized the descending colon and induced colonic hyperplasia in orally infected 21-day-old mice, the latter strain adhered to epithelial cells located deeper within crypts. Nonetheless, infection with the wild-type strain was consistently more virulent, as indicated by a higher mortality rate. All the surviving mice, challenged with either wild-type C. rodentium or DBS255(pCVD438), developed a mucosal immunoglobulin A response to intimin and EspB. These results show that C. rodentium infection provides a relevant, simple, and economic model to investigate the role of EPEC proteins in the formation of A/E lesions in vivo and in intestinal disease.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

A tiled amplicon protocol for culture-free whole-genome sequencing of M. tuberculosis from clinical specimens.

Whole-genome sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be a valuable tool for TB surveillance and treatment, providing insights into transmission patterns and comprehensive drug susceptibility testing. However, the slow growth of M. tuberculosis means traditional culture-based sequencing methods can take weeks to return results, which has limited the widespread adoption of these techniques and limited their use in clinical decision-making. Tiled amplicon sequencing is a fast, reliable, and cost-effective method of whole-genome sequencing that can be done directly on clinical specimens and has been implemented at scale in academic and public health laboratories across the world; it was the cornerstone of SARS-CoV-2 sequencing and has been adapted for a wide range of viral pathogens. However, similar methods are not yet available for far larger bacterial genomes. Extending this approach to M. tuberculosis would significantly reduce the cost, labor, and turnaround time for whole-genome sequencing. We designed a tiled amplicon panel consisting of 5,128 primers that covers the entire M. tuberculosis genome, the largest tiled amplicon sequencing panel we are aware of to date. Applying our amplicon panels to clinical samples of sputum, we show the ability to recover whole-genome bacterial sequences without the need for culture. The resulting sequence data can be used to determine M. tuberculosis lineage and reliably identify markers of drug resistance. Using this approach in clinical settings could reduce the time needed for comprehensive drug susceptibility testing from weeks to days and enable genomic epidemiology to be performed at scale, even in resource-limited settings.IMPORTANCEWe have developed and tested an amplicon panel, TB-seq, for the priority pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, demonstrating recovery of near-full genomes directly from patient sputum, including mixed and low-concentration samples. This approach significantly reduces the turnaround time for this slow-growing bacterium while maintaining high accuracy in detecting clinically relevant mutations, including those associated with drug resistance. Given the global burden of tuberculosis and the critical need for faster diagnostic solutions, we believe our method has the potential to improve clinical decision-making and public health strategies.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis↗

Detection of diacetyl (caramel odor) in presumptive identification of the "Streptococcus milleri" group.

The caramel odor associated with the "Streptococcus milleri" group was shown to be attributable to the formation of the metabolite diacetyl. Levels of diacetyl in the 22- to 200-mg/liter range were produced by 68 strains of the "S. milleri" group; apart from one strain of Streptococcus mutans, all 92 other strains of streptococci belonging to 12 species produced < 13 mg of diacetyl per liter. Quantitation of diacetyl levels from cultures of streptococci is suggested as a rapid presumptive test for the "S. milleri" group.

Candy↗

Prevalence of dental caries in 4- to 5-year-old children partly explained by presence of salivary mutans streptococci.

The correlation between dental caries and the number of oral mutans group streptococci (ms) present has been shown to be weak. The aim of this investigation was to study associations between caries experience (decayed, missing, and filled surfaces [dmfs]) and the number of ms in stimulated saliva, with emphasis on the level of disease and the confounding effect of regular intake of sweets, the presence of salivary lactobacilli, and oral hygiene. In some 2,700 4- to 5-year-old South African children of different ethnic origins, caries was diagnosed on the basis of World Health Organization criteria and saliva samples were analyzed for ms after cultivation on mitis salivarius-bacitracin agar and for lactobacilli by using the Dentocult kit. Oral hygiene was scored on the basis of the Greene and Vermillion simplified debris index, while data on intake of sweets were derived from extensive interviews. Pearson's coefficient of correlation was computed, and multiple regression analysis was performed to correct for confounding factors. The distribution of the children in the eight caries classes was strongly associated with the ms class (P < 0.001), with those in the lower ms classes generally having low dmfs scores and those in the higher ms classes having dmfs scores distributed over the whole range. The r value for the two variables was 0.25 for the total material; this was reduced to 0.18 by correction for confounding factors. The corresponding values for children with caries were 0.21 and 0.17, for those in the 1 to 6 dmfs interval they were 0.07 and 0.03, and for those in the 7 to 81 dmfs interval they were 0.16 and 0.14. The data imply that the explanatory values for ms, those for the lower caries interval not counted, ranged from 6 to 2%. The unexpected results for children with caries might be due to their distribution pattern. It is concluded that there is a need for reevaluation of ms as a risk factor in dental caries.

Candy↗

Tissue transglutaminase and apoptosis: sense and antisense transfection studies with human neuroblastoma cells.

In this report, we show that the overexpression of tissue transglutaminase (tTG) in the human neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-BE(2) renders these neural crest-derived cells highly susceptible to death by apoptosis. Cells transfected with a full-length tTG cDNA, under the control of a constitutive promoter, show a drastic reduction in proliferative capacity paralleled by a large increase in cell death rate. The dying tTG-transfected cells exhibit both cytoplasmic and nuclear changes characteristic of cells undergoing apoptosis. The tTG-transfected cells express high Bcl-2 protein levels as well as phenotypic neural cell adhesion molecule markers (NCAM and neurofilaments) of cells differentiating along the neuronal pathway. In keeping with these findings, transfection of neuroblastoma cells with an expression vector containing segments of the human tTG cDNA in antisense orientation resulted in a pronounced decrease of both spontaneous and retinoic acid (RA)-induced apoptosis. We also present evidence that (i) the apoptotic program of these neuroectodermal cells is strictly regulated by RA and (ii) cell death by apoptosis in the human neuroblastoma SK-N-BE(2) cells preferentially occurs in the substrate-adherent phenotype. For the first time, we report here a direct effect of tTG in the phenotypic maturation toward apoptosis. These results indicate that the tTG-dependent irreversible cross-linking of intracellular protein represents an important biochemical event in the induction of the structural changes featuring cells dying by apoptosis.

Apoptosis↗

Nrf1 is critical for redox balance and survival of liver cells during development.

The Nrf1 transcription factor belongs to the CNC subfamily of basic leucine zipper proteins. Knockout of Nrf1 is lethal in mouse embryos, but nothing is known about the cell types that absolutely require its function during development. We show by chimera analysis that Nrf1 is essential for the hepatocyte lineage. Mouse embryonic stem cells lacking Nrf1 developed normally and contributed to most tissues in adult chimeras where Nrf1 is normally expressed. Nrf1-deficient cells contributed to fetal, but not adult, liver cells. Loss of Nrf1 function resulted in liver cell apoptosis in late-gestation chimeric fetuses. Fetal livers from mutant embryos exhibited increased oxidative stress and impaired expression of antioxidant genes, and primary cultures of nrf1(-/-) fetal hepatocytes were sensitive to tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced cell death, suggesting that impaired antioxidant defense may be responsible for the apoptosis observed in the livers of chimeric mice. In addition, cells deficient in Nrf1 were sensitized to the cytotoxic effects of tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Our results provide in vivo evidence demonstrating an essential role of Nrf1 in the survival of hepatocytes during development. Our results also suggest that Nrf1 may promote cell survival by maintaining redox balance and protecting embryonic hepatocytes from TNF-mediated apoptosis during development.

Animals↗

Nrf1 and Nrf2 regulate rat glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit transcription indirectly via NF-kappaB and AP-1.

Glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) is regulated transcriptionally by Nrf1 and Nrf2. tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBH) induces human GCLC via Nrf2-mediated trans activation of the antioxidant-responsive element (ARE). Interestingly, TBH also induces rat GCLC, but the rat GCLC promoter lacks ARE. This study examined the role of Nrf1 and Nrf2 in the transcriptional regulation of rat GCLC. The baseline and TBH-mediated increase in GCLC mRNA levels and rat GCLC promoter activity were lower in Nrf1 and Nrf2 null (F1 and F2) fibroblasts than in wild-type cells. The basal protein and mRNA levels and nuclear binding activities of c-Jun, c-Fos, p50, and p65 were lower in F1 and F2 cells and exhibited a blunted response to TBH. Lower c-Jun and p65 expression also occurs in Nrf2 null livers. Levels of other AP-1 and NF-kappaB family members were either unaffected (i.e., JunB) or increased (i.e., Fra-1). Overexpression of Nrf1 and Nrf2 in respective cells restored the rat GCLC promoter activity and response to TBH but not if the AP-1 and NF-kappaB binding sites were mutated. Fra-1 overexpression lowered endogenous GCLC expression and rat GCLC promoter activity, while Fra-1 antisense had the opposite effects. In conclusion, Nrf1 and Nrf2 regulate rat GCLC promoter by modulating the expression of key AP-1 and NF-kappaB family members.

Animals↗

Acute inflammatory bowel disease in childbood: a new disease?

Three children aged between 7 and 11 years, after an acute onset of diarrhoea and vomiting, developed protracted diarrhoea and severe loss of weight. None had been abroad. No significant aetiological agent was found. There was evidence of acute inflammatory disease on proximal small intestinal biopsy, and some evidence of more widespread gut involvement--of the rectum in Cases 1 and 2, and the terminal ileum in Cases 2 and 3. The disease resolved spontaneously and without relapse.

Acute Disease↗

Four families with immunodeficiency and chromosome abnormalities.

Six children, with severe deficiency of some or all of the immunoglobulins and minor somatic abnormalities, had chromosomal abnormalities: (1) 45,XY,t(13q/18q), (2) 46,XY,21ps +, (3) two brothers 46,XY (inv. 7) (4) 45,X,t(11p/10p)/46X,iXq,t(11p/10p) and, (5) in addendum, 45,XX,-18;46,XX, r18. The chromosome abnormalities were detected in B- as well as T-lymphocytes (as evidenced by using both PHA- and PWM-stimulated cultures) in all probands, but one was mosaic in PHA culture, although all his PWM-stimulated cells were abnormal. Chromosomal variants were also detected in relatives of three and immunodeficiency in relatives of two.

Agammaglobulinemia↗

Yeast opsonisation in children with chronic diarrhoeal states.

Four patients with defective yeast opsonisation and protracted diarrhoea are reported. Plasma infusions improved the opsonising function in all 4 and the diarrhoea in 3. This immunological abnormality was assessed in 100 sequential patients with chronic diarrhoea associated with various gastrointestinal disorders; 52 with protracted diarrhoea and failure to thrive of undetermined cause, 26 with 'toddler diarrhoea', 8 with coeliac disease, 5 with chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and 9 with miscellaneous disorders. 23% of the patients with protracted diarrhoea of undetermined cause had defective opsonisation, a greater proportion (P less than 0.05) than that in 'toddler diarrhoea' or the remaining patients, in whom the frequency (4%) was similar to that (5%) in healthy populations. We suggest that yeast opsonisation be tested in children with protracted diarrhoea, as plasma infusions can be an effective form of treatment.

Child, Preschool↗