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van Prehn J, Crobach MJT, Baktash A, Duszenko N, Kuijper EJ. Diagnostic Guidance for C. difficile Infections. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1435:33-56. [PMID: 38175470 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-42108-2_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Diagnosis of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) can be challenging. First of all, there has been debate on which of the two reference assays, cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay (CCNA) or toxigenic culture (TC), should be considered the gold standard for CDI detection. Although the CCNA suffers most from suboptimal storage conditions and subsequent toxin degradation, TC is reported to falsely increase CDI detection rates as it cannot differentiate CDI patients from patients asymptomatically colonised by toxigenic C. difficile. Several rapid assays are available for CDI detection and fall into three broad categories: (1) enzyme immunoassays for glutamate dehydrogenase, (2) enzyme immunoassays or single-molecule array assays for toxins A/B and (3) nucleic acid amplification tests detecting toxin genes. All three categories have their own limitations, being suboptimal specificity and/or sensitivity or the inability to discern colonised patients from CDI patients. In light of these limitations, multi-step algorithmic testing has been advocated by international guidelines (IDSA/SHEA and ESCMID) in order to optimize diagnostic accuracy. As a result, a survey performed in 2018-2019 in Europe revealed that most of all hospital sites reported using more than one test to diagnose CDI. CDI incidence rates are also influenced by sample selection criteria, as several studies have shown that if not all unformed stool samples are tested for CDI, many cases may be missed due to an absence of clinical suspicion. Since methods for diagnosing CDI remain imperfect, there has been a growing interest in alternative testing strategies like faecal microbiota biomarkers, immune modulating interleukins, cytokines and imaging methods. At the moment, these alternative methods might play an adjunctive role, but they are not suitable to replace conventional CDI testing strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joffrey van Prehn
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Centre for Infectious Diseases (LU-CID), Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- ESCMID Study Group for C. difficile (ESGCD) and Study Group for Host and Microbiota Interaction (ESGHAMI), Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Monique J T Crobach
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Centre for Infectious Diseases (LU-CID), Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Amoe Baktash
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Centre for Infectious Diseases (LU-CID), Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Nikolas Duszenko
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Centre for Infectious Diseases (LU-CID), Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ed J Kuijper
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Centre for Infectious Diseases (LU-CID), Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- ESCMID Study Group for C. difficile (ESGCD) and Study Group for Host and Microbiota Interaction (ESGHAMI), Basel, Switzerland
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Pi H, Sun R, McBride JR, Kruse ARS, Gibson-Corley KN, Krystofiak ES, Nicholson MR, Spraggins JM, Zhou Q, Skaar EP. Clostridioides difficile ferrosome organelles combat nutritional immunity. Nature 2023; 623:1009-1016. [PMID: 37968387 PMCID: PMC10822667 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06719-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Iron is indispensable for almost all forms of life but toxic at elevated levels1-4. To survive within their hosts, bacterial pathogens have evolved iron uptake, storage and detoxification strategies to maintain iron homeostasis1,5,6. Recent studies showed that three Gram-negative environmental anaerobes produce iron-containing ferrosome granules7,8. However, it remains unclear whether ferrosomes are generated exclusively by Gram-negative bacteria. The Gram-positive bacterium Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of nosocomial and antibiotic-associated infections in the USA9. Here we report that C. difficile undergoes an intracellular iron biomineralization process and stores iron in membrane-bound ferrosome organelles containing non-crystalline iron phosphate biominerals. We found that a membrane protein (FezA) and a P1B6-ATPase transporter (FezB), repressed by both iron and the ferric uptake regulator Fur, are required for ferrosome formation and play an important role in iron homeostasis during transition from iron deficiency to excess. Additionally, ferrosomes are often localized adjacent to cellular membranes as shown by cryo-electron tomography. Furthermore, using two mouse models of C. difficile infection, we demonstrated that the ferrosome system is activated in the inflamed gut to combat calprotectin-mediated iron sequestration and is important for bacterial colonization and survival during C. difficile infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hualiang Pi
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rong Sun
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - James R McBride
- Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Angela R S Kruse
- Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Katherine N Gibson-Corley
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Evan S Krystofiak
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Maribeth R Nicholson
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Spraggins
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Qiangjun Zhou
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Eric P Skaar
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, & Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Vázquez-Cuesta S, Lozano García N, Fernández AI, Olmedo M, Kestler M, Alcalá L, Marín M, Bermejo J, Díaz FFA, Muñoz P, Bouza E, Reigadas E. Microbiome profile and calprotectin levels as markers of risk of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1237500. [PMID: 37780848 PMCID: PMC10534046 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1237500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the main cause of nosocomial diarrhoea in developed countries. Recurrent CDI (R-CDI), which affects 20%-30% of patients and significantly increases hospital stay and associated costs, is a key challenge. The main objective of this study was to explore the role of the microbiome and calprotectin levels as predictive biomarkers of R-CDI. Methods We prospectively (2019-2021) included patients with a primary episode of CDI. Clinical data and faecal samples were collected. The microbiome was analysed by sequencing the hypervariable V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene on an Illumina Miseq platform. Results We enrolled 200 patients with primary CDI, of whom 54 developed R-CDI and 146 did not. We analysed 200 primary samples and found that Fusobacterium increased in abundance, while Collinsella, Senegalimassilia, Prevotella and Ruminococcus decreased in patients with recurrent versus non-recurrent disease. Elevated calprotectin levels correlated significantly with R-CDI (p=0.01). We built a risk index for R-CDI, including as prognostic factors age, sex, immunosuppression, toxin B amplification cycle, creatinine levels and faecal calprotectin levels (overall accuracy of 79%). Discussion Calprotectin levels and abundance of microbial genera such as Fusobacterium and Prevotella in primary episodes could be useful as early markers of R-CDI. We propose a readily available model for prediction of R-CDI that can be applied at the initial CDI episode. The use of this tool could help to better tailor treatments according to the risk of R-CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Vázquez-Cuesta
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Nuria Lozano García
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana I. Fernández
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Cardiology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Olmedo
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Martha Kestler
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Alcalá
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES CB06/06/0058), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercedes Marín
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES CB06/06/0058), Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Bermejo
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Cardiology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Fernández-Avilés Díaz
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Cardiology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Muñoz
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES CB06/06/0058), Madrid, Spain
| | - Emilio Bouza
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES CB06/06/0058), Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Reigadas
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
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Wen BJ, Te LG, Liu XX, Zhao JH. The value of fecal calprotectin in Clostridioides difficile infection: A systematic review. Front Physiol 2022; 13:881816. [PMID: 35991191 PMCID: PMC9382106 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.881816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As a marker of inflammation, calprotectin has potential application value in a variety of inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis and bacterial infections. Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is an infectious disease that causes intestinal damage and inflammation. This systematic review aims to determine whether fecal calprotectin has application value in CDI. Nine databases were searched from inception to 6 June 2022, and 17 studies were included. These studies were divided into four groups according to their content. Generally speaking, fecal calprotectin is not an ideal indicator for the diagnosis and prognosis prediction of CDI but may serve as a potential indicator for assessing disease severity and as a readily detectable marker for CDI screening. In addition, patients in need of treatment or with detectable toxins in stool may tend to have higher levels of fecal calprotectin. In summary, fecal calprotectin has some potential application value in CDI. However, further studies are needed to verify these findings and determine the reliability of calprotectin as a biomarker for CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Jiang Wen
- The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Hebei Provincial Center for Clinical Laboratories, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Graduate School of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Li-Ger Te
- Graduate School of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Xiao-Xuan Liu
- The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Hebei Provincial Center for Clinical Laboratories, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Graduate School of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Jian-Hong Zhao
- The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Hebei Provincial Center for Clinical Laboratories, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- *Correspondence: Jian-Hong Zhao,
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Usefulness of Fecal Calprotectin in the Management of Patients with Toxigenic Clostridioides difficile. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10081627. [PMID: 33921309 PMCID: PMC8069209 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10081627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The availability of highly sensitive molecular tests for the detection of Clostridioides difficile in feces leads to overtreatment of patients who are probably only colonized. In this prospective study, the usefulness of fecal calprotectin (fCP) is evaluated in a cohort of patients with detection of toxigenic C. difficile in feces. Patients were classified by an infectious diseases consultant blinded to fCP results into three groups-group I, presumed Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI); group II, doubtful but treated CDI; and group III, presumed C. difficile colonization or self-limited CDI not needing treatment. One hundred and thirty-four patients were included. The median fCP concentrations were 410 (138-815) μg/g in group I, 188 (57-524) μg/g in group II, and 51 (26-97) μg/g in group III (26 cases); p < 0.05 for all comparisons. In forty-five out of 134 cases (33.5%), the fCP concentrations were below 100 µg/g. In conclusion, fCP is low in most patients who do not need treatment against C. difficile, and should be investigated as a potentially useful test in the management of patients with detected toxigenic C. difficile.
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Khurana S, Kahl A, Yu K, DuPont AW. Recent advances in the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection: the ever-changing guidelines. Fac Rev 2020; 9:13. [PMID: 33659945 PMCID: PMC7886080 DOI: 10.12703/b/9-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), formerly known as Clostridium difficile, continues to be the most common healthcare-associated infection worldwide. With the shifting epidemiology towards higher a incidence of community-acquired CDI and the continued burden on the healthcare system posed by high rates of CDI recurrence, there has been an impetus to advance the diagnostic testing and treatment strategies. Recent advancements over the past decade have led to rapidly changing guidelines issued by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. With our comprehensive review, we aim to summarize the latest advances in diagnosing and treating CDI and thus attempt to help readers guide best practices for patient care. This article also focusses on cost-effectiveness of various therapies currently available on the market and provides an analysis of the current evidence on a relatively new monoclonal antibody therapy, Bezlotoxumab, to treat recurrent CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruti Khurana
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alyssa Kahl
- Department of Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kevin Yu
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andrew W DuPont
- Associate Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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Zhang X, Das S, Dunbar S, Tang YW. Molecular and non-molecular approaches to etiologic diagnosis of gastroenteritis. Adv Clin Chem 2020; 99:49-85. [PMID: 32951639 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acc.2020.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Gastroenteritis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally and rapid identification of the causative pathogen is important for appropriate treatment and patient management, implementation of effective infection control measures, reducing hospital length of stay, and reducing overall medical costs. Although stool culture and microscopic examination of diarrheal stool has been the primary method for laboratory diagnosis, culture-independent proteomic and genomic tests are receiving increased attention. Antigen tests for stool pathogens are routinely implemented as rapid and simple analytics whereas molecular tests are now available in various formats from high complexity to waived point-of-care tests. In addition, metagenomic next-generation sequencing stands poised for use as a method for both diagnosis and routine characterization of the gut microbiome in the very near future. Analysis of host biomarkers as indicators of infection status and pathogenesis may also become important for prediction, diagnosis, and monitoring of gastrointestinal infection. Here we review current methods and emerging technologies for the etiologic diagnosis of gastroenteritis in the clinical laboratory. Benefits and limitations of these evolving methods are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhang
- Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | | | | | - Yi-Wei Tang
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States; Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, United States; Cepheid, Danaher Diagnostic Platform, Shanghai, China.
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Relationship between faecal metronidazole and lactoferrin concentrations to clinical response of patients with Clostridioides difficile. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2020; 39:1781-1784. [DOI: 10.1007/s10096-020-03895-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Lopez CA, Beavers WN, Weiss A, Knippel RJ, Zackular JP, Chazin W, Skaar EP. The Immune Protein Calprotectin Impacts Clostridioides difficile Metabolism through Zinc Limitation. mBio 2019; 10:e02289-19. [PMID: 31744916 PMCID: PMC6867894 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02289-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The intestines house a diverse microbiota that must compete for nutrients to survive, but the specific limiting nutrients that control pathogen colonization are not clearly defined. Clostridioides difficile colonization typically requires prior disruption of the microbiota, suggesting that outcompeting commensals for resources is critical to establishing C. difficile infection (CDI). The immune protein calprotectin (CP) is released into the gut lumen during CDI to chelate zinc (Zn) and other essential nutrient metals. Yet, the impact of Zn limitation on C. difficile colonization is unknown. To define C. difficile responses to Zn limitation, we performed RNA sequencing on C. difficile exposed to CP. In medium containing CP, C. difficile upregulated genes involved in metal homeostasis and amino acid metabolism. To identify CP-responsive genes important during infection, we measured the abundance of select C. difficile transcripts in a mouse CDI model relative to expression in vitro Gene transcripts involved in selenium (Se)-dependent proline fermentation increased during infection and in response to CP. Increased proline fermentation gene transcription was dependent on CP Zn binding and proline availability, yet proline fermentation was only enhanced when Se was supplemented. CP-deficient mice could not restrain C. difficile proline fermentation-dependent growth, suggesting that CP-mediated Zn sequestration along with limited Se restricts C. difficile proline fermentation. Overall, these results highlight how C. difficile colonization depends on the availability of multiple nutrients whose abundances are dynamically influenced by the host response.IMPORTANCEClostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of postantibiotic nosocomial infection. Antibiotic therapy can be successful, yet up to one-third of individuals suffer from recurrent infections. Understanding the mechanisms controlling C. difficile colonization is paramount in designing novel treatments for primary and recurrent CDI. Here, we found that limiting nutrients control C. difficile metabolism during CDI and influence overall pathogen fitness. Specifically, the immune protein CP limits Zn availability and increases transcription of C. difficile genes necessary for proline fermentation. Paradoxically, this leads to reduced C. difficile proline fermentation. This reduced fermentation is due to limited availability of another nutrient required for proline fermentation, Se. Therefore, CP-mediated Zn limitation combined with low Se levels overall reduce C. difficile fitness in the intestines. These results emphasize the complexities of how nutrient availability influences C. difficile colonization and provide insight into critical metabolic processes that drive the pathogen's growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Lopez
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - William N Beavers
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Andy Weiss
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Reece J Knippel
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Joseph P Zackular
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Division of Protective Immunity, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Walter Chazin
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Eric P Skaar
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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