Characteristics of cell-mediated, anti-listerial immunity induced by a naturally avirulent Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4a strain HCC23

TNF-α production and apoptosis in hepatocytes after Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium invasion

Invasion of hepatocytes by Listeria monocytogenes (LM) and Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) can stimulate tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) release and induce apoptosis. In this study, we compared the behavior of hepatocytes invaded by three L. monocytogenes serotypes (LM-4a, LM-4b and LM-1/2a) and by ST to understand which bacterium is more effective in the infectious process. We quantified TNF-α release by ELISA, apoptosis rates by annexin V (early apoptosis) and TUNEL (late apoptosis) techniques. The cell morphology was studied too. TNF-α release rate was highest in ST-invaded hepatocytes. ST and LM-1/2a induced the highest apoptosis production rates evaluated by TUNEL. LM-4b produced the highest apoptosis rate measured by annexin. Invaded hepatocytes presented various morphological alterations. Overall, LM-4b and LM-1/2a proved to be the most efficient at cell invasion, although ST adapted faster to the environment and induced earlier hepatocyte TNF-α release.

The intracellular sRNA transcriptome of Listeria monocytogenes during growth in macrophages

Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) are widespread effectors of post-transcriptional gene regulation in bacteria. Currently extensive information exists on the sRNAs of Listeria monocytogenes expressed during growth in extracellular environments. We used deep sequencing of cDNAs obtained from fractioned RNA (<500 nt) isolated from extracellularly growing bacteria and from L. monocytogenes infected macrophages to catalog the sRNA repertoire during intracellular bacterial growth. Here, we report on the discovery of 150 putative regulatory RNAs of which 71 have not been previously described. A total of 29 regulatory RNAs, including small non-coding antisense RNAs, are specifically expressed intracellularly. We validated highly expressed sRNAs by northern blotting and demonstrated by the construction and characterization of isogenic mutants of rli31, rli33-1 and rli50* for intracellular expressed sRNA candidates, that their expression is required for efficient growth of bacteria in macrophages. All three mutants were attenuated when assessed for growth in mouse and insect models of infection. Comparative genomic analysis revealed the presence of lineage specific sRNA candidates and the absence of sRNA loci in genomes of naturally occurring infection-attenuated bacteria, with additional loss in non-pathogenic listerial genomes. Our analyses reveal extensive sRNA expression as an important feature of bacterial regulation during intracellular growth.

Toward an improved laboratory definition of Listeria monocytogenes virulence

Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic foodborne pathogen that encompasses a diversity of strains with varied virulence. The ability to rapidly determine the pathogenic potential of L. monocytogenes strains is integral to the control and prevention campaign against listeriosis. Early methods for assessing L. monocytogenes virulence include in vivo bioassays and in vitro cell assays. While in vivo bioassays provide a measurement of all virulence determinants of L. monocytogenes, they are not applied routinely due to their reliance on experimental animals whose costs have become increasingly prohibitive. As a low cost alternative, in vitro cell assays are useful for estimating the virulence of L. monocytogenes strains. However, these assays are often slow, and at times variable. Prior attempts to ascertain L. monocytogenes virulence by targeting virulence-associated proteins and genes have been largely unsuccessful, since many of the assay targets are present in both virulent and avirulent strains. Recent identification of novel virulence-specific genes (particularly internalin gene inlJ) has opened a new avenue for rapid, sensitive, and precise differentiation of virulent L. monocytogenes strains from avirulent strains. The application of DNA sequencing technique also offers an additional tool for assessing L. monocytogenes virulence potential. By providing an update on the laboratory methods that have been reported for the determination of L. monocytogenes pathogenicity, this review discusses future research needs that may help achieve an improved laboratory definition of L. monocytogenes virulence.