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Donlan AN, Leslie JL, Simpson ME, Petri WA, Allen JE, Petri WA. IL-13 protects from C. difficile colitis. Anaerobe 2024; 88:102860. [PMID: 38701912 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2024.102860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading hospital-acquired infection in North America. We have previously discovered that antibiotic disruption of the gut microbiota decreases intestinal IL-33 and IL-25 and increases susceptibility to CDI. We further found that IL-33 promotes protection through type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells (ILC2s), which produce IL-13. However, the contribution of IL-13 to disease has never been explored. METHODS We used a validated model of CDI in mice, in which we neutralized via blocking antibodies, or administered recombinant protein, IL-13 to assess the role of this cytokine during infection using weight and clinical scores. Fluorescent activated cell sorting (FACS) was used to characterize myeloid cell population changes in response to IL-13 manipulation. RESULTS We found that administration of IL-13 protected, and anti-IL-13 exacerbated CDI. Additionally, we observed alterations to the monocyte/macrophage cells following neutralization of IL-13 as early as day three post infection. We also observed elevated accumulation of myeloid cells by day four post-infection following IL-13 neutralization. Neutralization of the decoy receptor, IL-13Rα2, resulted in protection from disease, likely through increased available endogenous IL-13. CONCLUSIONS Our data highlight the protective role of IL-13 in protecting from more severe CDI and the association of poor responses with a dysregulated monocyte-macrophage compartment. These results increase our understanding of type 2 immunity in CDI and may have implications for treating disease in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- A N Donlan
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, 98109, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - J L Leslie
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - M E Simpson
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - W A Petri
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.
| | - J E Allen
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - W A Petri
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
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Denny JE, Alam MZ, Mdluli NV, Maslanka JR, Lieberman LA, Abt MC. Monoclonal antibody-mediated neutralization of Clostridioides difficile toxin does not diminish induction of the protective innate immune response to infection. Anaerobe 2024; 88:102859. [PMID: 38701911 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2024.102859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection causes pathology that ranges in severity from diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis. Toxin A and Toxin B are the two primary virulence factors secreted by C. difficile that drive disease severity. The toxins damage intestinal epithelial cells leading to a loss of barrier integrity and induction of a proinflammatory host response. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that neutralize Toxin A and Toxin B, actoxumab and bezlotoxumab, respectively, significantly reduce disease severity in a murine model of C. difficile infection. However, the impact of toxin neutralization on the induction and quality of the innate immune response following infection is unknown. The goal of this study was to define the quality of the host innate immune response in the context of anti-toxin mAbs therapy. At day 2 post-infection, C. difficile-infected, mAbs-treated mice had significantly less disease compared to isotype-treated mice despite remaining colonized with C. difficile. C. difficile-infected mAbs-treated mice still exhibited marked neutrophil infiltration and induction of a subset of proinflammatory cytokines within the intestinal lamina propria following infection that is comparable to isotype-treated mice. Furthermore, both mAbs and isotype-treated mice had an increase in IL-22-producing ILCs in the intestine following infection. MAbs-treated mice exhibited increased infiltration of eosinophils in the intestinal lamina propria, which has been previously reported to promote a protective host response following C. difficile infection. These findings show that activation of host protective mechanisms remain intact in the context of monoclonal antibody-mediated toxin neutralization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua E Denny
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Md Zahidul Alam
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nontokozo V Mdluli
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Maslanka
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Michael C Abt
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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3
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Uddin MJ, Thompson B, Leslie JL, Fishman C, Sol-church K, Kumar P, Petri WA. Investigating the impact of antibiotic-induced dysbiosis on protection from Clostridium difficile colitis by mouse colonic innate lymphoid cells. mBio 2024; 15:e0333823. [PMID: 38376154 PMCID: PMC11209775 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03338-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) play a critical role in maintaining intestinal health in homeostatic and diseased conditions. During Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), IL-33 activates ILC2 to protect from colonic damage and mortality. The function of IL-33 and ILC is tightly regulated by the intestinal microbiota. We set out to determine the impact of antibiotic-induced disruption of the microbiome on ILC function. Our goal was to understand antibiotic-induced changes in ILC function on susceptibility to C. difficile colitis in a mouse model. We utilized high-throughput single-cell RNAseq to investigate the phenotypic features of colonic ILC at baseline, after antibiotic administration with or without IL-33 treatment. We identified a heterogeneous landscape of colonic ILCs with gene signatures of inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, migratory, progenitor, plastic, and antigen-presenting ILCs. Antibiotic treatment decreased ILC2 while coordinately increasing ILC1 and ILC3 phenotypes. Notably, Ifng+, Ccl5+, and Il23r+ ILC increased after antibiotics. IL-33 treatment counteracted the antibiotic effect by downregulating ILC1 and ILC3 and activating ILC2. In addition, IL-33 treatment markedly induced the expression of type 2 genes, including Areg and Il5. Finally, we identified amphiregulin, produced by ILC2, as protective during C. difficile infection. Together, our data expand our understanding of how antibiotics induce susceptibility to C. difficile colitis through their impact on ILC subsets and function.IMPORTANCEClostridium difficile infection (CDI) accounts for around 500,000 symptomatic cases and over 20,000 deaths annually in the United States alone. A major risk factor of CDI is antibiotic-induced dysbiosis of the gut. Microbiota-regulated IL-33 and innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are important in determining the outcomes of C. difficile infection. Understanding how antibiotic and IL-33 treatment alter the phenotype of colon ILCs is important to identify potential therapeutics. Here, we performed single-cell RNAseq of mouse colon ILCs collected at baseline, after antibiotic treatment, and after IL-33 treatment. We identified heterogeneous subpopulations of all three ILC subtypes in the mouse colon. Our analysis revealed several potential pathways of antibiotic-mediated increased susceptibility to intestinal infection. Our discovery that Areg is abundantly expressed by ILCs, and the protection of mice from CDI by amphiregulin treatment, suggests that the amphiregulin-epidermal growth factor receptor pathway is a potential therapeutic target for treating intestinal colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Jashim Uddin
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Brandon Thompson
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jhansi L. Leslie
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Arcus Biosciences, Hayward, California, USA
| | - Casey Fishman
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Katia Sol-church
- Genome Analysis and Technology Core, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Pankaj Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - William A. Petri
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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Markantonis JE, Fallon JT, Madan R, Alam MZ. Clostridioides difficile Infection: Diagnosis and Treatment Challenges. Pathogens 2024; 13:118. [PMID: 38392856 PMCID: PMC10891949 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13020118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is the most important cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea in the United States. The high incidence and recurrence rates of C. difficile infection (CDI), associated with high morbidity and mortality, pose a public health challenge. Although antibiotics targeting C. difficile bacteria are the first treatment choice, antibiotics also disrupt the indigenous gut flora and, therefore, create an environment that is favorable for recurrent CDI. The challenge of treating CDI is further exacerbated by the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains of C. difficile, placing it among the top five most urgent antibiotic resistance threats in the USA. The evolution of antibiotic resistance in C. difficile involves the acquisition of new resistance mechanisms, which can be shared among various bacterial species and different C. difficile strains within clinical and community settings. This review provides a summary of commonly used diagnostic tests and antibiotic treatment strategies for CDI. In addition, it discusses antibiotic treatment and its resistance mechanisms. This review aims to enhance our current understanding and pinpoint knowledge gaps in antimicrobial resistance mechanisms in C. difficile, with an emphasis on CDI therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E. Markantonis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, 600 Moye Boulevard, Greenville, NC 27834, USA; (J.E.M.); (J.T.F.)
| | - John T. Fallon
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, 600 Moye Boulevard, Greenville, NC 27834, USA; (J.E.M.); (J.T.F.)
| | - Rajat Madan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA;
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
| | - Md Zahidul Alam
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, 600 Moye Boulevard, Greenville, NC 27834, USA; (J.E.M.); (J.T.F.)
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5
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Naz F, Petri WA. Host Immunity and Immunization Strategies for Clostridioides difficile Infection. Clin Microbiol Rev 2023; 36:e0015722. [PMID: 37162338 PMCID: PMC10283484 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00157-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) represents a significant challenge to public health. C. difficile-associated mortality and morbidity have led the U.S. CDC to designate it as an urgent threat. Moreover, recurrence or relapses can occur in up to a third of CDI patients, due in part to antibiotics being the primary treatment for CDI and the major cause of the disease. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of innate immune responses, adaptive immune responses, and the link between innate and adaptive immune responses of the host against CDI. The other major determinants of CDI, such as C. difficile toxins, the host microbiota, and related treatments, are also described. Finally, we discuss the known therapeutic approaches and the current status of immunization strategies for CDI, which might help to bridge the knowledge gap in the generation of therapy against CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farha Naz
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - William A. Petri
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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6
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Madden GR, Rigo I, Boone R, Abhyankar MM, Young MK, Basener W, Petri WA. Novel Biomarkers, Including tcdB PCR Cycle Threshold, for Predicting Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0009223. [PMID: 36975808 PMCID: PMC10112139 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00092-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional clinical models for predicting recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection do not perform well, likely owing to the complex host-pathogen interactions involved. Accurate risk stratification using novel biomarkers could help prevent recurrence by improving underutilization of effective therapies (i.e., fecal transplant, fidaxomicin, bezlotoxumab). We used a biorepository of 257 hospitalized patients with 24 features collected at diagnosis, including 17 plasma cytokines, total/neutralizing anti-toxin B IgG, stool toxins, and PCR cycle threshold (CT) (a proxy for stool organism burden). The best set of predictors for recurrent infection was selected by Bayesian model averaging for inclusion in a final Bayesian logistic regression model. We then used a large PCR-only data set to confirm the finding that PCR CT predicts recurrence-free survival using Cox proportional hazards regression. The top model-averaged features were (probabilities of >0.05, greatest to least): interleukin 6 (IL-6), PCR CT, endothelial growth factor, IL-8, eotaxin, IL-10, hepatocyte growth factor, and IL-4. The accuracy of the final model was 0.88. Among 1,660 cases with PCR-only data, cycle threshold was significantly associated with recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.95; P < 0.005). Certain biomarkers associated with C. difficile infection severity were especially important for predicting recurrence; PCR CT and markers of type 2 immunity (endothelial growth factor [EGF], eotaxin) emerged as positive predictors of recurrence, while type 17 immune markers (IL-6, IL-8) were negative predictors. In addition to novel serum biomarkers (particularly, IL-6, EGF, and IL-8), the readily available PCR CT may be critical to augment underperforming clinical models for C. difficile recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory R. Madden
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Isaura Rigo
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Rachel Boone
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mayuresh M. Abhyankar
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mary K. Young
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - William Basener
- School of Data Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - William A. Petri
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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7
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Zhang Y, Su J. Interleukin-2 family cytokines: An overview of genes, expression, signaling and functional roles in teleost. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2023; 141:104645. [PMID: 36696924 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2023.104645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The interleukin-2 (IL-2) family cytokines include IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-15, and IL-21, which share γ chain (γc) subunit in receptors. The IL-2 family cytokines have unique biological effects that regulate differentiation, survival and activation of multiple lymphocyte lineages. Deficiency of IL-2 family signaling pathway in mammals prevents CD4+ T cells from developing effector functions and CD8+ T cells from developing immunological memory. In the present review, we addressed available information from teleost IL-2 family cytokines and discussed implications in teleost immunity. Also, we described and discussed their expression profiles, receptors, signaling transductions and functions. In teleost, IL-2 family has 5 members (IL-2, IL-4/13, IL-7, IL-15, IL-21) without IL-9, and their receptors share a common γc subunit and include other 6 subunits (IL-2Rβ1/2, IL-4Rα1/2, IL-13Rα1/2, IL-7Rα, IL-15Rα, and IL-21Rα1/2). Some paralogues have changes in domain structure and show differential expression, modulation, functions. IL-2 family cytokines constitutively express in many immune associated tissues and are largely induced after pathogenic microbial stimulation. In general, there are relatively conserved functions in the IL-2 family throughout vertebrates, and many of the key IL-2 family members are important in lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation, development, inflammation from fishes to mammals. This review will give an update on the effective information of teleost IL-2 family cytokines. Thus, it will provide a source of reference for other researchers/readers and inspire further interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqi Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Jianguo Su
- College of Fisheries, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China.
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8
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Nibbering B, Gerding DN, Kuijper EJ, Zwittink RD, Smits WK. Host Immune Responses to Clostridioides difficile: Toxins and Beyond. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:804949. [PMID: 34992590 PMCID: PMC8724541 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.804949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is often resistant to the actions of antibiotics to treat other bacterial infections and the resulting C. difficile infection (CDI) is among the leading causes of nosocomial infectious diarrhea worldwide. The primary virulence mechanism contributing to CDI is the production of toxins. Treatment failures and recurrence of CDI have urged the medical community to search for novel treatment options. Strains that do not produce toxins, so called non-toxigenic C. difficile, have been known to colonize the colon and protect the host against CDI. In this review, a comprehensive description and comparison of the immune responses to toxigenic C. difficile and non-toxigenic adherence, and colonization factors, here called non-toxin proteins, is provided. This revealed a number of similarities between the host immune responses to toxigenic C. difficile and non-toxin proteins, such as the influx of granulocytes and the type of T-cell response. Differences may reflect genuine variation between the responses to toxigenic or non-toxigenic C. difficile or gaps in the current knowledge with respect to the immune response toward non-toxigenic C. difficile. Toxin-based and non-toxin-based immunization studies have been evaluated to further explore the role of B cells and reveal that plasma cells are important in protection against CDI. Since the success of toxin-based interventions in humans to date is limited, it is vital that future research will focus on the immune responses to non-toxin proteins and in particular non-toxigenic strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britt Nibbering
- Center for Microbiome Analyses and Therapeutics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Dale N Gerding
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Research Service, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL, United States
| | - Ed J Kuijper
- Center for Microbiome Analyses and Therapeutics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Romy D Zwittink
- Center for Microbiome Analyses and Therapeutics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Wiep Klaas Smits
- Center for Microbiome Analyses and Therapeutics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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Monaghan TM, Seekatz AM, Mullish BH, Moore-Gillon CCER, Dawson LF, Ahmed A, Kao D, Chan WC. Clostridioides difficile: innovations in target discovery and potential for therapeutic success. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2021; 25:949-963. [PMID: 34793686 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2021.2008907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) remains a worldwide clinical problem. Increased incidence of primary infection, occurrence of hypertoxigenic ribotypes, and more frequent occurrence of drug resistant, recurrent, and non-hospital CDI, emphasizes the urgent unmet need of discovering new therapeutic targets. AREAS COVERED We searched PubMed and Web of Science databases for articles identifying novel therapeutic targets or treatments for C. difficile from 2001 to 2021. We present an updated review on current preclinical efforts on designing inhibitory compounds against these drug targets and indicate how these could become the focus of future therapeutic approaches. We also evaluate the increasing exploitability of gut microbial-derived metabolites and host-derived therapeutics targeting VEGF-A, immune targets and pathways, ion transporters, and microRNAs as anti-C. difficile therapeutics, which have yet to reach clinical trials. Our review also highlights the therapeutic potential of re-purposing currently available agents . We conclude by considering translational hurdles and possible strategies to mitigate these problems. EXPERT OPINION Considerable progress has been made in the development of new anti-CDI drug candidates. Nevertheless, a greater comprehension of CDI pathogenesis and host-microbe interactions is beginning to uncover potential novel therapeutic targets, which can be exploited to plug gaps in the CDI drug discovery pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya M Monaghan
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Anna M Seekatz
- Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Benjamin H Mullish
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Claudia C E R Moore-Gillon
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Lisa F Dawson
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Ammar Ahmed
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Dina Kao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zeidler Ledcor Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Weng C Chan
- School of Pharmacy, Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
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10
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Peng Y, Wang X, Wang H, Xu W, Wu K, Go X, Yin Y, Zhang X. Interleukin-4 protects mice against lethal influenza and Streptococcus pneumoniae co-infected pneumonia. Clin Exp Immunol 2021; 205:379-390. [PMID: 34061992 DOI: 10.1111/cei.13628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae co-infection post-influenza is a major cause of mortality characterized by uncontrolled bacteria burden and excessive immune response during influenza pandemics. Interleukin (IL)-4 is a canonical type II immune cytokine known for its wide range of biological activities on different cell types. It displays protective roles in numerous infectious diseases and immune-related diseases, but its role in influenza and S. pneumoniae (influenza/S. pneumoniae) co-infected pneumonia has not been reported. In our study, we used C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) and IL-4-deficient (IL-4-/- ) mice to establish co-infection model with S. pneumoniae after influenza virus infection. Co-infected IL-4-/- mice showed increased mortality and weight loss compared with WT mice. IL-4 deficiency led to increased bacterial loads in lungs without altering influenza virus replication, suggesting a role of IL-4 in decreasing post-influenza susceptibility to S. pneumoniae co-infection. Loss of IL-4 also resulted in aggravated lung damage together with massive proinflammatory cytokine production and immune cell infiltration during co-infection. Administration of recombinant IL-4 rescued the survival and weight loss of IL-4-/- mice in lethal co-infection. Additionally, IL-4 deficiency led to more immune cell death in co-infection. Gasdermin D (GSDMD) during co-infection was induced in IL-4-/- mice that subsequently activated cell pyroptosis. Treatment of recombinant IL-4 or inhibition of GSDMD activity by disulfiram decreased immune cell death and bacterial loads in lungs of IL-4-/- co-infected mice. These results suggest that IL-4 decreases post-influenza susceptibility to S. pneumoniae co-infection via suppressing GSDMD-induced pyroptosis. Collectively, this study demonstrates the protective role of IL-4 in influenza/S. pneumoniae co-infected pneumonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Peng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaofang Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenchun Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kaifeng Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Xuemei Go
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yibing Yin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuemei Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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11
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Cribas ES, Denny JE, Maslanka JR, Abt MC. Loss of Interleukin-10 (IL-10) Signaling Promotes IL-22-Dependent Host Defenses against Acute Clostridioides difficile Infection. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e00730-20. [PMID: 33649048 PMCID: PMC8091099 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00730-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with the bacterial pathogen Clostridioides difficile causes severe damage to the intestinal epithelium that elicits a robust inflammatory response. Markers of intestinal inflammation accurately predict clinical disease, however, the extent to which host-derived proinflammatory mediators drive pathogenesis versus promote host protective mechanisms remains elusive. In this report, we employed Il10-/- mice as a model of spontaneous colitis to examine the impact of constitutive intestinal immune activation, independent of infection, on C. difficile disease pathogenesis. Upon C. difficile challenge, Il10-/- mice exhibited significantly decreased morbidity and mortality compared to littermate Il10 heterozygote (Il10HET) control mice, despite a comparable C. difficile burden, innate immune response, and microbiota composition following infection. Similarly, antibody-mediated blockade of interleukin-10 (IL-10) signaling in wild-type C57BL/6 mice conveyed a survival advantage if initiated 3 weeks prior to infection. In contrast, no advantage was observed if blockade was initiated on the day of infection, suggesting that the constitutive activation of inflammatory defense pathways prior to infection mediated host protection. IL-22, a cytokine critical in mounting a protective response against C. difficile infection, was elevated in the intestine of uninfected, antibiotic-treated Il10-/- mice, and genetic ablation of the IL-22 signaling pathway in Il10-/- mice negated the survival advantage following C. difficile challenge. Collectively, these data demonstrate that constitutive loss of IL-10 signaling, via genetic ablation or antibody blockade, enhances IL-22-dependent host defense mechanisms to limit C. difficile pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily S Cribas
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joshua E Denny
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Maslanka
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael C Abt
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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