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Ouyang Z, Zhao M, Li J, Zhang Y, Zhao J. Cyclic diguanylate differentially regulates the expression of virulence factors and pathogenesis-related phenotypes in Clostridioides difficile. Microbiol Res 2024; 286:127811. [PMID: 38909416 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127811] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) caused by toxigenic C. difficile is the leading cause of antimicrobial and healthcare-associated diarrhea. The pathogenicity of C. difficile relies on the synergistic effect of multiple virulence factors, including spores, flagella, type IV pili (T4P), toxins, and biofilm. Spores enable survival and transmission of C. difficile, while adhesion factors such as flagella and T4P allow C. difficile to colonize and persist in the host intestine. Subsequently, C. difficile produces the toxins TcdA and TcdB, causing pseudomembranous colitis and other C. difficile-associated diseases; adhesion factors bind to the extracellular matrix to form biofilm, allowing C. difficile to evade drug and immune system attack and cause recurrent infection. Cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) is a near-ubiquitous second messenger that extensively regulates morphology, the expression of virulence factors, and multiple physiological processes in C. difficile. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of how c-di-GMP differentially regulates the expression of virulence factors and pathogenesis-related phenotypes in C. difficile. We highlight that C. difficile spore formation and expression of toxin and flagella genes are inhibited at high intracellular levels of c-di-GMP, while T4P biosynthesis, cell aggregation, and biofilm formation are induced. Recent studies have enhanced our understanding of the c-di-GMP signaling networks in C. difficile and provided insights for the development of c-di-GMP-dependent strategies against CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zirou Ouyang
- Hebei Provincial Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Min Zhao
- Hebei Provincial Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Jiayiren Li
- Hebei Provincial Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Yulian Zhang
- Hebei Provincial Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Jianhong Zhao
- Hebei Provincial Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
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2
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Wang L, Villafuerte Gálvez JA, Lee C, Wu S, Kelly CP, Chen X, Cao Y. Understanding host immune responses in Clostridioides difficile infection: Implications for pathogenesis and immunotherapy. IMETA 2024; 3:e200. [PMID: 38898983 PMCID: PMC11183162 DOI: 10.1002/imt2.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is the predominant causative agent of nosocomial diarrhea worldwide. Infection with C. difficile occurs due to the secretion of large glycosylating toxin proteins, which can lead to toxic megacolon or mortality in susceptible hosts. A critical aspect of C. difficile's biology is its ability to persist asymptomatically within the human host. Individuals harboring asymptomatic colonization or experiencing a single episode of C. difficile infection (CDI) without recurrence exhibit heightened immune responses compared to symptomatic counterparts. The significance of these immune responses cannot be overstated, as they play critical roles in the development, progression, prognosis, and outcomes of CDI. Nonetheless, our current comprehension of the immune responses implicated in CDI remains limited. Therefore, further investigation is imperative to elucidate their underlying mechanisms. This review explores recent advancements in comprehending CDI pathogenesis and how the host immune system response influences disease progression and severity, aiming to enhance our capacity to develop immunotherapy-based treatments for CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lamei Wang
- College of Animal Science and TechnologyNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Javier A. Villafuerte Gálvez
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Christina Lee
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Shengru Wu
- College of Animal Science and TechnologyNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Ciaran P. Kelly
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Xinhua Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Yangchun Cao
- College of Animal Science and TechnologyNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
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3
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Alam MZ, Madan R. Clostridioides difficile Toxins: Host Cell Interactions and Their Role in Disease Pathogenesis. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:241. [PMID: 38922136 PMCID: PMC11209539 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16060241] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile, a Gram-positive anaerobic bacterium, is the leading cause of hospital-acquired antibiotic-associated diarrhea worldwide. The severity of C. difficile infection (CDI) varies, ranging from mild diarrhea to life-threatening conditions such as pseudomembranous colitis and toxic megacolon. Central to the pathogenesis of the infection are toxins produced by C. difficile, with toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB) as the main virulence factors. Additionally, some strains produce a third toxin known as C. difficile transferase (CDT). Toxins damage the colonic epithelium, initiating a cascade of cellular events that lead to inflammation, fluid secretion, and further tissue damage within the colon. Mechanistically, the toxins bind to cell surface receptors, internalize, and then inactivate GTPase proteins, disrupting the organization of the cytoskeleton and affecting various Rho-dependent cellular processes. This results in a loss of epithelial barrier functions and the induction of cell death. The third toxin, CDT, however, functions as a binary actin-ADP-ribosylating toxin, causing actin depolymerization and inducing the formation of microtubule-based protrusions. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the interaction between C. difficile toxins and host cells, elucidating the functional consequences of their actions. Furthermore, we will outline how this knowledge forms the basis for developing innovative, toxin-based strategies for treating and preventing CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Zahidul Alam
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, 600 Moye Boulevard, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - 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
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Heydari H, Iranikhah A, Ghasemi A, Mohammadbeigi A, Sadat-Mirei SA, Shams S, Kermani S. Evaluation of the prevalence of Aeromonas spp., Campylobacter spp., and Clostridioides difficile in immunocompromised children with diarrhea. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:512. [PMID: 38778271 PMCID: PMC11110422 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09372-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
AIM Diarrhea is a common disease in immunocompromised patients and can be associated with greater morbidity and even mortality. Therefore, the present study was designed to determine the prevalence of Aeromonas spp., Campylobacter spp., and C. difficile among immunocompromised children. METHODS This study was conducted on 130 stool samples from patients with diarrhea who had defects in the immune system and were referred to Hazrat Masoumeh Children's Hospital in Qom. Demographic information, clinical symptoms, immune status, and duration of chemotherapy were also recorded for each child. DNAs were extracted from the stool, and then direct PCR assays were done by specific primers for the detection of Aeromonas spp., Campylobacter spp., and toxigenic C. difficile, including tcdA/B and cdtA/B genes. Co-infection in patients was also evaluated. RESULTS 60.8% and 39.2% were male and female, respectively, with a m ± SD age of 56.72 ± 40.49 months. Most cases of immunocompromised states were related to Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (77.7%) and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (14.6%). 93.1% of patients were undergoing chemotherapy during the study. Among patients, most clinical symptoms were related to bloody diarrhea (98.5%) and fever (92.3%). Based on PCR, 14.6, 9.2, and 1.5% were positive for Aeromonas spp., C. difficile, and C. jejuni, respectively. Among the C. difficile-positive cases, the tcdA gene was only detected in one patient. In total, three co-infections were identified, which included Aeromonas spp./C. difficile (tcdA+), C. jejuni/C. difficile, and C. jejuni/Aeromonas spp. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study in Iran to investigate the simultaneous prevalence of some pathogens in immunocompromised children with diarrhea. Because Aeromonas spp., Campylobacter spp., and C. difficile are not routinely detected in some laboratories, infections caused by them are underappreciated in the clinic. Our results showed that these pathogens are present in our region and can cause gastroenteritis in children, especially those with underlying diseases. Therefore, increasing the level of hygiene in some areas and controlling bacterial diarrheal diseases should be given more attention by health officials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hosein Heydari
- Pediatric Medicine Research Center, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
| | - Abolfazl Iranikhah
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Diseases Research Center, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
| | - Ahmad Ghasemi
- Department of Microbiology, Research Center of Reference Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abolfazl Mohammadbeigi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
| | | | - Saeed Shams
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
| | - Somayeh Kermani
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
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Ke S, Villafuerte Gálvez JA, Sun Z, Cao Y, Pollock NR, Chen X, Kelly CP, Liu YY. Rational Design of Live Biotherapeutic Products for the Prevention of Clostridioides difficile Infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.30.591969. [PMID: 38746249 PMCID: PMC11092666 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.30.591969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the leading causes of healthcare- and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. While fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as a promising therapy for recurrent CDI, its exact mechanisms of action and long-term safety are not fully understood. Defined consortia of clonal bacterial isolates, known as live biotherapeutic products (LBPs), have been proposed as an alternative therapeutic option. However, the rational design of LBPs remains challenging. Here, we employ a computational pipeline and three independent metagenomic datasets to systematically identify microbial strains that have the potential to inhibit CDI. We first constructed the CDI-related microbial genome catalog, comprising 3,741 non-redundant metagenome-assembled genomes (nrMAGs) at the strain level. We then identified multiple potential protective nrMAGs that can be candidates for the design of microbial consortia targeting CDI, including strains from Dorea formicigenerans, Oscillibacter welbionis, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Importantly, some of these potential protective nrMAGs were found to play an important role in the success of FMT, and the majority of the top protective nrMAGs can be validated by various previously reported findings. Our results demonstrate a computational framework for the rational selection of microbial strains targeting CDI, paving the way for the computational design of microbial consortia against other enteric infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanlin Ke
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Javier A Villafuerte Gálvez
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Zheng Sun
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Yangchun Cao
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nira R Pollock
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xinhua Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Ciarán P Kelly
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Yang-Yu Liu
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Center for Artificial Intelligence and Modeling, The Carl R. Woese Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
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6
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Deihim B, Masoudipour P. Antibiotic resistance of enteropathogenic bacteria in a teaching hospital in North Khuzestan during a three-year period. J Family Med Prim Care 2024; 13:2073-2077. [PMID: 38948633 PMCID: PMC11213378 DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1594_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Gastrointestinal infections affect many people annually. The most common bacterial agents involved in these infections are enteropathogenic bacteria and in the continuation of using broad-spectrum antibiotics, Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea is involved, especially in hospitalized patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the pattern of antibiotic resistance among enteropathogenic bacteria. Materials and Methods In this cross-sectional study, 163 samples of patients with diarrhea in Dezful Ganjavian Hospital were examined. The samples were cultured in MacConkey, Hektoen enteric agar and GN broth, and cycloserine cefoxitin fructose agar media and incubated under standard conditions. In order to identify enteropathogenic bacteria, biochemical tests and serological confirmatory tests were used. Antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates was investigated by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility test. Results The frequency of pathogenic bacteria includes 41.1% of Shigella flexneri, followed by 41.1% of S. sonnei, 6.7% of Enteropathogenic E. coli, 5.5% of Salmonella enterica Serogroup B, and 5.5% of Shigella dysenteriae. The results revealed a total of 46 patients with orders regarding C. difficile culture, no C. difficile was isolated from the samples. The studied isolates showed the highest resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and ceftriaxone (88.3%), and the most effective antibiotic in the treatment of patients was ciprofloxacin with 86% sensitivity. Conclusion Susceptibility to antibiotics was different among the isolates, which shows that the early identification of the infection agent and the selection of the correct antibiotic treatment are effective in improving the gastrointestinal infection and preventing the spread of the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behnaz Deihim
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran
| | - Parisa Masoudipour
- Department of Microbiology, Tertiary Ganjavian Hospital, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran
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7
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Cho DH, Kim SH, Jeon CH, Kim HT, Park KJ, Kim J, Kwak J, Kwan BS, Kong S, Lee JW, Kim KM, Wi YM. Clinical outcomes and treatment necessity in patients with toxin-negative Clostridioides difficile stool samples. Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob 2024; 23:35. [PMID: 38664689 PMCID: PMC11046793 DOI: 10.1186/s12941-024-00696-1] [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: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The clinical significance of negative toxin enzyme immunoassays (EIA) for Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) is unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the significance of toxin EIA-negative in the diagnosis and prognosis of CDI. METHODS All stool specimens submitted for C. difficile toxin EIA testing were cultured to isolate C. difficile. In-house PCR for tcdA, tcdB, cdtA, and cdtB genes were performed using C. difficile isolates. Stool specimens were tested with C. difficile toxins A and B using EIA kit (RIDASCREEN Clostridium difficile toxin A/B, R-Biopharm AG, Darmstadt, Germany). Characteristics and subsequent CDI episodes of toxin EIA-negative and -positive patients were compared. RESULTS Among 190 C. difficile PCR-positive patients, 83 (43.7%) were toxin EIA-negative. Multivariate analysis revealed independent associations toxin EIA-negative results and shorter hospital stays (OR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-0.99, p = 0.013) and less high-risk antibiotic exposure in the preceding month (OR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.16-0.94, p = 0.035). Toxin EIA-negative patients displayed a significantly lower white blood cell count rate (11.0 vs. 35.4%, p < 0.001). Among the 54 patients who were toxin EIA-negative and did not receive CDI treatment, three (5.6%) were diagnosed with CDI after 7-21 days without complication. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that toxin EIA-negative patients had milder laboratory findings and no complications, despite not receiving treatment. Prolonged hospitalisation and exposure to high-risk antibiotics could potentially serve as markers for the development of toxin EIA-positive CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dae Hyeon Cho
- Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea
| | - Si-Ho Kim
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Hapseong-dong, Masanhoewon-gu, Changwon-si, 51353, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheon Hoo Jeon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Hapseong-dong, Masanhoewon-gu, Changwon-si, 51353, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyoung Tae Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-Jin Park
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Junyoung Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea
| | - Jiyeong Kwak
- Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea
| | - Byung Soo Kwan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea
| | - Sungmin Kong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea
| | - Jung Won Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea
| | - Kwang Min Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea
| | - Yu Mi Wi
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Hapseong-dong, Masanhoewon-gu, Changwon-si, 51353, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea.
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8
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Kang P, Wang AZX. Microbiota-gut-brain axis: the mediator of exercise and brain health. PSYCHORADIOLOGY 2024; 4:kkae007. [PMID: 38756477 PMCID: PMC11096970 DOI: 10.1093/psyrad/kkae007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The brain controls the nerve system, allowing complex emotional and cognitive activities. The microbiota-gut-brain axis is a bidirectional neural, hormonal, and immune signaling pathway that could link the gastrointestinal tract to the brain. Over the past few decades, gut microbiota has been demonstrated to be an essential component of the gastrointestinal tract that plays a crucial role in regulating most functions of various body organs. The effects of the microbiota on the brain occur through the production of neurotransmitters, hormones, and metabolites, regulation of host-produced metabolites, or through the synthesis of metabolites by the microbiota themselves. This affects the host's behavior, mood, attention state, and the brain's food reward system. Meanwhile, there is an intimate association between the gut microbiota and exercise. Exercise can change gut microbiota numerically and qualitatively, which may be partially responsible for the widespread benefits of regular physical activity on human health. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a non-invasive method to show areas of brain activity enabling the delineation of specific brain regions involved in neurocognitive disorders. Through combining exercise tasks and fMRI techniques, researchers can observe the effects of exercise on higher brain functions. However, exercise's effects on brain health via gut microbiota have been little studied. This article reviews and highlights the connections between these three interactions, which will help us to further understand the positive effects of exercise on brain health and provide new strategies and approaches for the prevention and treatment of brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piao Kang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, China
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
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Stoian M, Andone A, Boeriu A, Bândilă SR, Dobru D, Laszlo SȘ, Corău D, Arbănași EM, Russu E, Stoian A. COVID-19 and Clostridioides difficile Coinfection Analysis in the Intensive Care Unit. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:367. [PMID: 38667043 PMCID: PMC11047694 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13040367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019, the global mortality attributable to COVID-19 has reached 6,972,152 deaths according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The association between coinfection with Clostridioides difficile (CDI) and SARS-CoV-2 has limited data in the literature. This retrospective study, conducted at Mureș County Clinical Hospital in Romania, involved 3002 ICU patients. Following stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria, 63 patients were enrolled, with a division into two subgroups-SARS-CoV-2 + CDI patients and CDI patients. Throughout their hospitalization, the patients were closely monitored. Analysis revealed no significant correlation between comorbidities and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) or non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV). However, statistically significant associations were noted between renal and hepatic comorbidties (p = 0.009), death and CDI-SARS-CoV-2 coinfection (p = 0.09), flourochinolone treatment and CDI-SARS-CoV-2 infection (p = 0.03), and an association between diabetes mellitus and SARS-CoV-2-CDI infection (p = 0.04), as well as the need for invasive mechanical ventilation (p = 0.04). The patients with CDI treatment were significantly younger and received immuno-modulator or corticotherapy treatment, which was a risk factor for opportunistic agents. Antibiotic and PPI (proton pump inhibitor) treatment were significant risk factors for CDI coinfection, as well as for death, with PPI treatment in combination with antibiotic treatment being a more significant risk factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mircea Stoian
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania;
| | - Adina Andone
- Gastroenterology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania; (A.B.); (D.D.)
| | - Alina Boeriu
- Gastroenterology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania; (A.B.); (D.D.)
| | - Sergio Rareș Bândilă
- Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology Service, Marina Baixa Hospital, Av. Alcade En Jaume Botella Mayor, 03570 Villajoyosa, Spain;
| | - Daniela Dobru
- Gastroenterology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania; (A.B.); (D.D.)
| | - Sergiu Ștefan Laszlo
- Intensive Care Unit, Mures, County Hospital, Street Gheorghe Marinescu No 1, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania; (S.Ș.L.); (D.C.)
| | - Dragoș Corău
- Intensive Care Unit, Mures, County Hospital, Street Gheorghe Marinescu No 1, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania; (S.Ș.L.); (D.C.)
| | - Emil Marian Arbănași
- Department of Vascular Surgery, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540139 Targu Mures, Romania;
- Clinic of Vascular Surgery, Mures County Emergency Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania;
- Doctoral School of Medicine and Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Eliza Russu
- Clinic of Vascular Surgery, Mures County Emergency Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania;
- Doctoral School of Medicine and Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Adina Stoian
- Department of Pathophysiology, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Targu Mures, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania;
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10
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Gong JJ, Huang IH, Su MSW, Xie SX, Liu WY, Huang CR, Hung YP, Wu SR, Tsai PJ, Ko WC, Chen JW. Phage transcriptional regulator X (PtrX)-mediated augmentation of toxin production and virulence in Clostridioides difficile strain R20291. Microbiol Res 2024; 280:127576. [PMID: 38183754 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, and spore-forming bacterial member of the human gut microbiome. The primary virulence factors of C. difficile are toxin A and toxin B. These toxins damage the cell cytoskeleton and cause various diseases, from diarrhea to severe pseudomembranous colitis. Evidence suggests that bacteriophages can regulate the expression of the pathogenicity locus (PaLoc) genes of C. difficile. We previously demonstrated that the genome of the C. difficile RT027 strain NCKUH-21 contains a prophage-like DNA sequence, which was found to be markedly similar to that of the φCD38-2 phage. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the φNCKUH-21-mediated regulation of the pathogenicity and the PaLoc genes expression in the lysogenized C. difficile strain R20291. The carriage of φNCKUH-21 in R20291 cells substantially enhanced toxin production, bacterial motility, biofilm formation, and spore germination in vitro. Subsequent mouse studies revealed that the lysogenized R20291 strain caused a more severe infection than the wild-type strain. We screened three φNCKUH-21 genes encoding DNA-binding proteins to check their effects on PaLoc genes expression. The overexpression of NCKUH-21_03890, annotated as a transcriptional regulator (phage transcriptional regulator X, PtrX), considerably enhanced toxin production, biofilm formation, and bacterial motility of R20291. Transcriptome analysis further confirmed that the overexpression of ptrX led to the upregulation of the expression of toxin genes, flagellar genes, and csrA. In the ptrX-overexpressing R20291 strain, PtrX influenced the expression of flagellar genes and the sigma factor gene sigD, possibly through an increased flagellar phase ON configuration ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Jia Gong
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - I-Hsiu Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK 74107, USA
| | - Marcia Shu-Wei Su
- Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Si-Xuan Xie
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Yong Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Rung Huang
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Pin Hung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Shang-Rung Wu
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Institute of Oral Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Jane Tsai
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Pathology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan; Center for Clinical Medicine Research, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Chien Ko
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Jenn-Wei Chen
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
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11
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Escudero-Sanchez R, Ramos-Martínez A, Caballero-Bermejo AF, Díaz-Pollán B, Ruiz-Carrascoso G, Samperio MO, García PM, Amador PM, Romo FG, Segarra OM, Jiménez GN, Del Campo Albendea L, García AM, Cobo J. Bezlotoxumab during the first episode of Clostridioides difficile infection in patients at high risk of recurrence. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 43:533-540. [PMID: 38236366 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-024-04762-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To describe a cohort with a high risk of recurrence who received bezlotoxumab during the first episode of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) and to compare this cohort with patients with similar characteristics who did not receive the monoclonal antibody. METHODS A prospective and multicentre study of patients with a high risk of recurrence (expected recurrence rate>35%) who were treated with bezlotoxumab during their first episode of CDI was conducted. A propensity score-matched model 1:2 was used to compare both cohorts that were weighed according to basal characteristics (hospital-acquisition, creatinine value, and fidaxomicin as a CDI treatment). RESULTS Sixty patients (mean age:72 years) were prospectively treated with bezlotoxumab plus anti-Clostridioides antibiotic therapy. Vancomycin (48 patients) and fidaxomicin (12 patients) were prescribed for CDI treatment, and bezlotoxumab was administered at a mean of 4.2 (SD:2.1) days from the beginning of therapy. Recurrence occurred in nine out of 54 (16.7%) evaluable patients at 8 weeks. Forty bezlotoxumab-treated patients were matched with 69 non-bezlotoxumab-treated patients. Recurrence rates at 12 weeks were 15.0% (6/40) in bezlotoxumab-treated patients vs. 23.2% (16/69) in non-bezlotoxumab-treated patients (OR:0.58 [0.20-1.65]). No adverse effects were observed related to bezlotoxumab infusion. Only one of 9 patients with previous heart failure developed heart failure. CONCLUSION We observed that patients treated with bezlotoxumab in a real-world setting during a first episode of CDI having high risk of recurrence, presented low rate of recurrence. However, a significant difference in recurrence could not be proved in comparison to the controls. We did not detect any other safety concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Escudero-Sanchez
- Infectious Disease Department, Ramon y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (IRYCIS), Ctra. Colmenar viejo, km 9,1. Zip code, 28034, Madrid, Spain.
- Center for Biomedical Research in Infectious Diseases Network (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Antonio Ramos-Martínez
- Internal Medicine Department, University Hospital Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Beatriz Díaz-Pollán
- Center for Biomedical Research in Infectious Diseases Network (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Internal Medicine Department, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
| | - Guillermo Ruiz-Carrascoso
- La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
- Microbiology Department, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Olmedo Samperio
- Microbiology and Infectious Disease Department, Gregorio Marañón University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Muñoz García
- Microbiology and Infectious Disease Department, Gregorio Marañón University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Oriol Martín Segarra
- Infectious Disease Department, Fundación Alcorcon University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Navarro Jiménez
- Infectious Disease Department, Fundación Alcorcon University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Del Campo Albendea
- Biostatistics Unit, University Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Center for Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso Muriel García
- Biostatistics Unit, University Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Center for Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Cobo
- Infectious Disease Department, Ramon y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (IRYCIS), Ctra. Colmenar viejo, km 9,1. Zip code, 28034, Madrid, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in Infectious Diseases Network (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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12
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Vitiello A, Sabbatucci M, Zovi A, Salzano A, Ponzo A, Boccellino M. Advances in Therapeutic Strategies for the Management of Clostridioides difficile Infection. J Clin Med 2024; 13:1331. [PMID: 38592194 PMCID: PMC10932341 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13051331] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The infection caused by Clostridioides difficile represents one of the bacterial infections with the greatest increase in incidence among nosocomial infections in recent years. C. difficile is a Gram-positive bacterium able to produce toxins and spores. In some cases, infection results in severe diarrhoea and fulminant colitis, which cause prolonged hospitalisation and can be fatal, with repercussions also in terms of health economics. C. difficile is the most common cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in the healthcare setting. The problem of bacterial forms that are increasingly resistant to common antibiotic treatments is also reflected in C. difficile infection (CDI). One of the causes of CDI is intestinal dysmicrobialism induced by prolonged antibiotic therapy. Moreover, in recent years, the emergence of increasingly virulent strains resistant to antibiotic treatment has made the picture even more complex. Evidence on preventive treatments to avoid recurrence is unclear. Current guidelines indicate the following antibiotics for the treatment of CDI: metronidazole, vancomycin, and fidaxomycin. This short narrative review provides an overview of CDI, antibiotic resistance, and emerging treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Vitiello
- Ministry of Health, Directorate-General for Health Prevention, Viale Giorgio Ribotta 5, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Sabbatucci
- Department Infectious Diseases, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Zovi
- Ministry of Health, Directorate General of Hygiene, Food Safety and Nutrition, Viale Giorgio Ribotta 5, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Salzano
- Ministry of Health, Directorate-General for Health Prevention, Viale Giorgio Ribotta 5, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Annarita Ponzo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Mariarosaria Boccellino
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100 Naples, Italy
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Fol M, Karpik W, Zablotni A, Kulesza J, Kulesza E, Godkowicz M, Druszczynska M. Innate Lymphoid Cells and Their Role in the Immune Response to Infections. Cells 2024; 13:335. [PMID: 38391948 PMCID: PMC10886880 DOI: 10.3390/cells13040335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, a group of lymphocyte-like cells called innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) has gained considerable attention due to their crucial role in regulating immunity and tissue homeostasis. ILCs, lacking antigen-specific receptors, are a group of functionally differentiated effector cells that act as tissue-resident sentinels against infections. Numerous studies have elucidated the characteristics of ILC subgroups, but the mechanisms controlling protective or pathological responses to pathogens still need to be better understood. This review summarizes the functions of ILCs in the immunology of infections caused by different intracellular and extracellular pathogens and discusses their possible therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Fol
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland; (M.F.); (W.K.); (M.G.)
| | - Wojciech Karpik
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland; (M.F.); (W.K.); (M.G.)
| | - Agnieszka Zablotni
- Department of Bacterial Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Jakub Kulesza
- Department of Internal Diseases and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lodz, 91-347 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Ewelina Kulesza
- Department of Rheumatology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Lodz, 90-549 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Magdalena Godkowicz
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland; (M.F.); (W.K.); (M.G.)
- Lodz Institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences, The Bio-Med-Chem Doctoral School, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
| | - Magdalena Druszczynska
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland; (M.F.); (W.K.); (M.G.)
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14
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Dop D, Marcu IR, Padureanu V, Caragea DC, Padureanu R, Niculescu SA, Niculescu CE. Clostridium difficile infection in pediatric patients (Review). Biomed Rep 2024; 20:18. [PMID: 38169799 PMCID: PMC10758920 DOI: 10.3892/br.2023.1706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection (CDI) is the most common cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea and among adults, the worldwide incidence rate of the infection is increasing. There is a small amount of data in the literature for pediatric patients, but most indicate an increasing trend. C. difficile is a constituent of the normal microbiota; however, under specific conditions that cause a disruption of the normal bacterial flora, colonization of C. difficile and the released toxins that cause inflammation and mucosal damage occurs. Risk factors for CDI at any age include hospitalization, exposure to antibiotics, administration of proton pump inhibitors, invasive mechanical ventilation, immunosuppression and presence of associated comorbidities. Clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic colonization to fulminant disease characterized by toxic megacolon, intestinal perforation and, rarely, death. The aim of the present review was to outline the features of CDI in pediatric patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia Dop
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
| | - Iulia Rahela Marcu
- Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
| | - Vlad Padureanu
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
| | - Daniel Cosmin Caragea
- Department of Nephrology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
| | - Rodica Padureanu
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
| | - Stefan-Adrian Niculescu
- Department of Orthopedics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
| | - Carmen Elena Niculescu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
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15
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Shen Y, Lin S, You P, Chen Y, Luo Y, Song X, Chen Y, Jin D. Rapid discrimination between clinical Clostridioides difficile infection and colonization by quantitative detection of TcdB toxin using a real-time cell analysis system. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1348892. [PMID: 38322317 PMCID: PMC10844495 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1348892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives It is important to accurately discriminate between clinical Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) and colonization (CDC) for effective antimicrobial treatment. Methods In this study, 37 stool samples were collected from 17 CDC and 20 CDI cases, and each sample were tested in parallel through the real-time cell analysis (RTCA) system, real-time PCR assay (PCR), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results RTCA-measured functional and toxical C. difficile toxin B (TcdB) concentrations in the CDI group (302.58 ± 119.15 ng/mL) were significantly higher than those in the CDC group (18.15 ± 11.81 ng/mL) (p = 0.0008). Conversely, ELISA results revealed no significant disparities in TcdB concentrations between the CDC (26.21 ± 3.57 ng/mL) and the CDI group (17.07 ± 3.10 ng/mL) (p = 0.064). PCR results indicated no significant differences in tcdB gene copies between the CDC (774.54 ± 357.89 copies/μL) and the CDI group (4,667.69 ± 3,069.87 copies/μL) (p = 0.407). Additionally, the functional and toxical TcdB concentrations secreted from C. difficile isolates were measured by the RTCA. The results from the CDC (490.00 ± 133.29 ng/mL) and the CDI group (439.82 ± 114.66 ng/mL) showed no significant difference (p = 0.448). Notably, RTCA-measured functional and toxical TcdB concentration was significantly decreased when mixed with pooled CDC samples supernatant (p = 0.030). Conclusion This study explored the novel application of the RTCA assay in effectively discerning clinical CDI from CDC cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhang Shen
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Ageing Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shan Lin
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Peijun You
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Chen
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yun Luo
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Xiaojun Song
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yunbo Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dazhi Jin
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
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16
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Aiman S, Farooq QUA, Han Z, Aslam M, Zhang J, Khan A, Ahmad A, Li C, Ali Y. Core-genome-mediated promising alternative drug and multi-epitope vaccine targets prioritization against infectious Clostridium difficile. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0293731. [PMID: 38241420 PMCID: PMC10798517 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Prevention of Clostridium difficile infection is challenging worldwide owing to its high morbidity and mortality rates. C. difficile is currently being classified as an urgent threat by the CDC. Devising a new therapeutic strategy become indispensable against C. difficile infection due to its high rates of reinfection and increasing antimicrobial resistance. The current study is based on core proteome data of C. difficile to identify promising vaccine and drug candidates. Immunoinformatics and vaccinomics approaches were employed to construct multi-epitope-based chimeric vaccine constructs from top-ranked T- and B-cell epitopes. The efficacy of the designed vaccine was assessed by immunological analysis, immune receptor binding potential and immune simulation analyses. Additionally, subtractive proteomics and druggability analyses prioritized several promising and alternative drug targets against C. difficile. These include FMN-dependent nitroreductase which was prioritized for pharmacophore-based virtual screening of druggable molecule databases to predict potent inhibitors. A MolPort-001-785-965 druggable molecule was found to exhibit significant binding affinity with the conserved residues of FMN-dependent nitroreductase. The experimental validation of the therapeutic targets prioritized in the current study may worthy to identify new strategies to combat the drug-resistant C. difficile infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Aiman
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Qurrat ul Ain Farooq
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongjie Han
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Muneeba Aslam
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Jilong Zhang
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Asifullah Khan
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Abbas Ahmad
- Department of Biotechnology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, KP, Pakistan
| | - Chunhua Li
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yasir Ali
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Saviano A, Petruzziello C, Cancro C, Macerola N, Petti A, Nuzzo E, Migneco A, Ojetti V. The Efficacy of a Mix of Probiotics ( Limosilactobacillus reuteri LMG P-27481 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53103) in Preventing Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea and Clostridium difficile Infection in Hospitalized Patients: Single-Center, Open-Label, Randomized Trial. Microorganisms 2024; 12:198. [PMID: 38258024 PMCID: PMC10819176 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010198] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antibiotic-associated diarrhea is a condition reported in 5-35% of patients treated with antibiotics, especially in older patients with comorbidities. In most cases, antibiotic-associated diarrhea is not associated with serious complications, but it can prolong hospitalization and provoke Clostridium difficile infection. An important role in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea is carried out by some probiotic strains such as Lactobacillus GG or the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii that showed good efficacy and a significant reduction in antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Similarly, the Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 showed significant benefits in acute diarrhea, reducing its duration and abdominal pain. AIM The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of a mix of two probiotic strains (Limosilactobacillus reuteri LMG P-27481 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53103; Reuterin GG®, NOOS, Italy), in association with antibiotics (compared to antibiotics used alone), in reducing antibiotic-associated diarrhea, clostridium difficile infection, and other gastrointestinal symptoms in adult hospitalized patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS We enrolled 113 (49M/64F, mean age 69.58 ± 21.28 years) adult patients treated with antibiotics who were hospitalized at the Internal Medicine Department of the San Carlo di Nancy Hospital in Rome from January 2023 to September 2023. Patients were randomized to receive probiotics 1.4 g twice/day in addition with antibiotics (Reuterin GG® group, total: 56 patients, 37F/19M, 67.16 ± 20.5 years old) or antibiotics only (control group, total: 57 patients, 27F/30 M, 71 ± 22 years old). RESULTS Patients treated with Reuterin GG® showed a significant reduction in diarrhea and clostridium difficile infection. In particular, 28% (16/57) of patients in the control group presented with diarrhea during treatment, compared with 11% (6/56) in the probiotic group (p < 0.05). Interestingly, 7/57 (11%) of patients treated only with antibiotics developed clostridium difficile infection compared to 0% in the probiotic group (p < 0.01). Finally, 9% (5/57) of patients in the control group presented with vomiting compared with 2% (1/56) in the probiotic group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our study showed, for the first time, the efficacy of these two specific probiotic strains in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea and clostridium difficile infection in adult hospitalized patients treated with antibiotic therapy. This result allows us to hypothesize that the use of specific probiotic strains during antibiotic therapy can prevent dysbiosis and subsequent antibiotic-associated diarrhea and clostridium difficile infection, thus resulting in both patient and economic health care benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Saviano
- Emergency Medicine Department, Polyclinic A. Gemelli Hospital, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.S.); (A.M.)
- Internal and Emergency Medicine Department, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Carmine Petruzziello
- Internal Medicine Department, San Carlo di Nancy Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy; (C.P.); (N.M.); (A.P.); (E.N.)
| | - Clelia Cancro
- Internal and Emergency Medicine Department, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Noemi Macerola
- Internal Medicine Department, San Carlo di Nancy Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy; (C.P.); (N.M.); (A.P.); (E.N.)
| | - Anna Petti
- Internal Medicine Department, San Carlo di Nancy Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy; (C.P.); (N.M.); (A.P.); (E.N.)
| | - Eugenia Nuzzo
- Internal Medicine Department, San Carlo di Nancy Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy; (C.P.); (N.M.); (A.P.); (E.N.)
| | - Alessio Migneco
- Emergency Medicine Department, Polyclinic A. Gemelli Hospital, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Veronica Ojetti
- Internal and Emergency Medicine Department, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy;
- Internal Medicine Department, San Carlo di Nancy Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy; (C.P.); (N.M.); (A.P.); (E.N.)
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Yu SJ, Morris A, Kayal A, Milošević I, Van TTH, Bajagai YS, Stanley D. Pioneering gut health improvements in piglets with phytogenic feed additives. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:142. [PMID: 38231265 PMCID: PMC10794284 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12925-2] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
This research investigates the effects of phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) on the growth performance, gut microbial community, and microbial metabolic functions in weaned piglets via a combined 16S rRNA gene amplicon and shotgun metagenomics approach. A controlled trial was conducted using 200 pigs to highlight the significant influence of PFAs on gut microbiota dynamics. Notably, the treatment group revealed an increased gut microbiota diversity, as measured with the Shannon and Simpson indices. The increase in diversity is accompanied by an increase in beneficial bacterial taxa, such as Roseburia, Faecalibacterium, and Prevotella, and a decline in potential pathogens like Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Campylobacter. Shotgun sequencing at the species level confirmed these findings. This modification in microbial profile was coupled with an altered profile of microbial metabolic pathways, suggesting a reconfiguration of microbial function under PFA influence. Significant shifts in overall microbial community structure by week 8 demonstrate PFA treatment's temporal impact. Histomorphological examination unveiled improved gut structure in PFA-treated piglets. The results of this study indicate that the use of PFAs as dietary supplements can be an effective strategy, augmenting gut microbiota diversity, reshaping microbial function, enhancing gut structure, and optimising intestinal health of weaned piglets providing valuable implications for swine production. KEY POINTS: • PFAs significantly diversify the gut microbiota in weaned piglets, aiding balance. • Changes in gut structure due to PFAs indicate improved resistance to weaning stress. • PFAs show potential to ease weaning stress, offering a substitute for antibiotics in piglet diets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Joon Yu
- Central Queensland Innovation and Research Precinct (CQIRP), Institute for Future Farming Systems, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD, 4701, Australia
| | - Andrew Morris
- Riverbend Pork Group, 487-489 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba, 4350, Australia
| | - Advait Kayal
- Central Queensland Innovation and Research Precinct (CQIRP), Institute for Future Farming Systems, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD, 4701, Australia
| | - Ivan Milošević
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Oslobodjenja 18, 11999, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Thi Thu Hao Van
- Central Queensland Innovation and Research Precinct (CQIRP), Institute for Future Farming Systems, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD, 4701, Australia
- School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia
| | - Yadav Sharma Bajagai
- Central Queensland Innovation and Research Precinct (CQIRP), Institute for Future Farming Systems, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD, 4701, Australia
| | - Dragana Stanley
- Central Queensland Innovation and Research Precinct (CQIRP), Institute for Future Farming Systems, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD, 4701, Australia.
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19
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Valdés-Varela L, Gueimonde M, Ruas-Madiedo P. Probiotics for Prevention and Treatment of Clostridium difficile Infection. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1435:101-116. [PMID: 38175473 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-42108-2_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Probiotics have been claimed as a valuable tool to restore the balance in the intestinal microbiota following a dysbiosis caused by, among other factors, antibiotic therapy. This perturbed environment could favor the overgrowth of Clostridium difficile, and in fact, the occurrence of C. difficile-associated infections (CDI) is increasing in recent years. In spite of the high number of probiotics able to in vitro inhibit the growth and/or toxicity of this pathogen, its application for treatment or prevention of CDI is still scarce since there are not enough well-defined clinical studies supporting efficacy. Only a few strains, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii, have been studied in more extent. The increasing knowledge about the probiotic mechanisms of action against C. difficile, some of them reviewed here, makes promising the application of these live biotherapeutic agents against CDI. Nevertheless, more effort must be paid to standardize the clinical studies conducted to evaluate probiotic products, in combination with antibiotics, in order to select the best candidate for C. difficile infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Valdés-Varela
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lacteos de Asturias - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientıficas (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
| | - Miguel Gueimonde
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lacteos de Asturias - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientıficas (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
| | - Patricia Ruas-Madiedo
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lacteos de Asturias - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientıficas (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain.
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20
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Bratkovič T, Zahirović A, Bizjak M, Rupnik M, Štrukelj B, Berlec A. New treatment approaches for Clostridioides difficile infections: alternatives to antibiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation. Gut Microbes 2024; 16:2337312. [PMID: 38591915 PMCID: PMC11005816 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2337312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile causes a range of debilitating intestinal symptoms that may be fatal. It is particularly problematic as a hospital-acquired infection, causing significant costs to the health care system. Antibiotics, such as vancomycin and fidaxomicin, are still the drugs of choice for C. difficile infections, but their effectiveness is limited, and microbial interventions are emerging as a new treatment option. This paper focuses on alternative treatment approaches, which are currently in various stages of development and can be divided into four therapeutic strategies. Direct killing of C. difficile (i) includes beside established antibiotics, less studied bacteriophages, and their derivatives, such as endolysins and tailocins. Restoration of microbiota composition and function (ii) is achieved with fecal microbiota transplantation, which has recently been approved, with standardized defined microbial mixtures, and with probiotics, which have been administered with moderate success. Prevention of deleterious effects of antibiotics on microbiota is achieved with agents for the neutralization of antibiotics that act in the gut and are nearing regulatory approval. Neutralization of C. difficile toxins (iii) which are crucial virulence factors is achieved with antibodies/antibody fragments or alternative binding proteins. Of these, the monoclonal antibody bezlotoxumab is already in clinical use. Immunomodulation (iv) can help eliminate or prevent C. difficile infection by interfering with cytokine signaling. Small-molecule agents without bacteriolytic activity are usually selected by drug repurposing and can act via a variety of mechanisms. The multiple treatment options described in this article provide optimism for the future treatment of C. difficile infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomaž Bratkovič
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Abida Zahirović
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maruša Bizjak
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maja Rupnik
- National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, Prvomajska 1, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Borut Štrukelj
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aleš Berlec
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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21
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Normington C, Chilton CH, Buckley AM. Clostridioides difficile infections; new treatments and future perspectives. Curr Opin Gastroenterol 2024; 40:7-13. [PMID: 37942659 PMCID: PMC10715702 DOI: 10.1097/mog.0000000000000989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW As a significant cause of global morbidity and mortality, Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) are listed by the Centres for Disease Control and prevention as one of the top 5 urgent threats in the USA. CDI occurs from gut microbiome dysbiosis, typically through antibiotic-mediated disruption; however, antibiotics are the treatment of choice, which can result in recurrent infections. Here, we highlight new treatments available and provide a perspective on different classes of future treatments. RECENT FINDINGS Due to the reduced risk of disease recurrence, the microbiome-sparing antibiotic Fidaxomicin has been recommended as the first-line treatment for C. difficile infection. Based on the success of faecal microbiota transplantations (FMT) in treating CDI recurrence, defined microbiome biotherapeutics offer a safer and more tightly controlled alterative as an adjunct to antibiotic therapy. Given the association between antibiotic-mediated dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota and the recurrence of CDI, future prospective therapies aim to reduce the dependence on antibiotics for the treatment of CDI. SUMMARY With current first-in-line antibiotic therapy options associated with high levels of recurrent CDI, the availability of new generation targeted therapeutics can really impact treatment success. There are still unknowns about the long-term implications of these new CDI therapeutics, but efforts to expand the CDI treatment toolbox can offer multiple solutions for clinicians to treat this multifaceted infectious disease to reduce patient suffering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charmaine Normington
- Healthcare Associated Infections Research Group, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Leeds
- Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust, Leeds General Infirmary
| | - Caroline H. Chilton
- Healthcare Associated Infections Research Group, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Leeds
- Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust, Leeds General Infirmary
| | - Anthony M. Buckley
- Microbiome and Nutritional Sciences Group, School of Food Science & Nutrition, Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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22
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Wang L, Cao Y, Lou E, Zhao X, Chen X. The role of gut fungi in Clostridioides difficile infection. Biomed J 2023; 47:100686. [PMID: 38086471 PMCID: PMC11220531 DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2023.100686] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile, the etiological agent of C. difficile infection (CDI), elicits a spectrum of diarrheal symptoms with varying severity and the potential to result in severe complications such as colonic perforation, pseudomembranous colitis, and toxic megacolon. The perturbation of gut microbiome, often triggered by antibiotic usage, represents the primary factor augmenting the risk of CDI. This underscores the significance of interactions between C. difficile and the microbiome in determining pathogen adaptability. In recent years, researchers have increasingly recognized the pivotal role played by intestinal microbiota in host health and its therapeutic potential as a target for medical interventions. While extensive evidence has been established regarding the involvement of gut bacteria in CDI, our understanding of symbiotic interactions between hosts and fungi within intestinal microbiota remains limited. Herein, we aim to comprehensively elucidate both composition and key characteristics of gut fungal communities that significantly contribute to CDI, thereby enhancing our comprehension from pharmacological and biomarker perspectives while exploring their prospective therapeutic applications for CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lamei Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yangchun Cao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Eddie Lou
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xuanyin Zhao
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xinhua Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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23
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Kelly CR, Allegretti JR. Review Article: Gastroenterology and Clostridium difficile Infection: Past, Present, and Future. Clin Infect Dis 2023; 77:S463-S470. [PMID: 38051967 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Research and innovation around Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has been a multidisciplinary endeavor since discovery of the organism in 1978. The field of gastroenterology has contributed to our understanding of CDI as a disease caused by disruptions in the gut microbiome and led to advances in therapeutic manipulation of gut microbiota, including fecal microbiota transplantation. The high incidence of CDI in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and treatment of the infection in this population have been of particular interest to gastroenterologists. The emergence of standardized, approved live biotherapeutic products for treatment of recurrent CDI is an inflection point in our management of this difficult clinical problem, and real-world performance of these therapies will inform optimal treatment algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen R Kelly
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jessica R Allegretti
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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24
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Vehreschild MJGT, Schreiber S, von Müller L, Epple HJ, Weinke T, Manthey C, Oh J, Wahler S, Stallmach A. Trends in the epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile infection in Germany. Infection 2023; 51:1695-1702. [PMID: 37162717 PMCID: PMC10170422 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-023-02044-5] [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: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSES Despite reports of a declining incidence over the last decade, Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is still considered the most important healthcare-associated causes of diarrhea worldwide. In Germany, several measures have been taken to observe, report, and influence this development. This report aims to analyze the development of hospital coding for CDI in Germany over the last decade and to use it to estimate the public health burden caused by CDI. METHODS Reports from the Institute for Hospital Remuneration Systems, German Federal Statistical Office (DESTATIS), the Robert-Koch-Institute (RKI), Saxonian authorities and hospital quality reports during 2010-2021 were examined for CDI coding and assessed in a structured expert consultation. Analysis was performed using 2019 versions of Microsoft Excel® and Microsoft Access®. RESULTS Peaks of 32,203 cases with a primary diagnosis (PD) of CDI and 78,648 cases with a secondary diagnosis (SD) of CDI were observed in 2015. The number of cases had decreased to 15,412 PD cases (- 52.1%) and 40,188 SD cases (- 48.9%) by 2021. These results were paralleled by a similar decline in notifiable severe cases. However, average duration of hospitalization of the cases remained constant during this period. CONCLUSIONS Hospital coding of CDI and notification to authorities has approximately halved from 2015 to 2021. Potential influential factors include hospital hygiene campaigns, implementation of antibiotic stewardship programs, social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a decrease in more pathogenic subtypes of bacteria. Further research is necessary to validate the multiple possible drivers for this development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefan Schreiber
- Department Medicine I, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Christian-Albrechts-University, Rosalind-Franklin-Str. 12, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Lutz von Müller
- Christophorus-Kliniken GmbH, Südring 41, 48653 Coesfeld, Germany
| | - Hans-Jörg Epple
- Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Antibiotic Stewardship, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Weinke
- Ernst Von Bergmann Klinikum gGmbH, Charlottenstraße 72, 14467 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Carolin Manthey
- Gemeinschaftspraxis Innere Medizin (GIM), Pferdebachstr. 29, 58455 Witten, Germany
| | - Jun Oh
- Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Steffen Wahler
- St. Bernward GmbH, Friedrich-Kirsten-Str. 40, 22391 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Stallmach
- Klinik Für Innere Medizin IV, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany
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25
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Buddle JE, Fagan RP. Pathogenicity and virulence of Clostridioides difficile. Virulence 2023; 14:2150452. [PMID: 36419222 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2150452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is the most common cause of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and is responsible for a spectrum of diseases characterized by high levels of recurrence, morbidity, and mortality. Treatment is complex, since antibiotics constitute both the main treatment and the major risk factor for infection. Worryingly, resistance to multiple antibiotics is becoming increasingly widespread, leading to the classification of this pathogen as an urgent threat to global health. As a consummate opportunist, C. difficile is well equipped for promoting disease, owing to its arsenal of virulence factors: transmission of this anaerobe is highly efficient due to the formation of robust endospores, and an array of adhesins promote gut colonization. C. difficile produces multiple toxins acting upon gut epithelia, resulting in manifestations typical of diarrheal disease, and severe inflammation in a subset of patients. This review focuses on such virulence factors, as well as the importance of antimicrobial resistance and genome plasticity in enabling pathogenesis and persistence of this important pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E Buddle
- Molecular Microbiology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Robert P Fagan
- Molecular Microbiology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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26
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Tanaka Y, Tashiro S, Ikegami S, Enoki Y, Taguchi K, Matsumoto K. Oral teicoplanin administration suppresses recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection: Proof of concept. Anaerobe 2023; 84:102789. [PMID: 37879532 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2023.102789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Teicoplanin is a potential antimicrobial candidate for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) treatment. However, the therapeutic potential of teicoplanin against severe CDI has not been clinically proven. In the present study, we investigated the efficacy of oral teicoplanin administration against severe CDI and the recurrence of severe CDI after teicoplanin treatment in a mouse model. METHODS A lethal CDI mouse model was established by colonizing the mice with C. difficile ATCC® 43255; they were orally administered teicoplanin (128 mg/kg/d) or vancomycin (160 mg/kg/d) for 10 d, 24 h after C. difficile spore challenge, and physiological and biological responses were monitored for 20 d after the initial antibiotic treatment. We also performed the in vitro time-kill assay and determined minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), post-antibiotic effect, and toxin production with antibiotic exposure. RESULTS The therapeutic response (survival rates, body weight change, clinical sickness score grading, C. difficile load, and toxin titer in feces) of oral teicoplanin administration was comparable to that of oral vancomycin administration in the lethal CDI mouse model. Moreover, teicoplanin treatment suppressed the re-onset of diarrhea and re-increase in toxin titer 10 d after treatment compared with that by vancomycin treatment. In in vitro experiments, teicoplanin exhibited time-dependent antibacterial activity and possessed lower MIC and longer post-antibiotic effect than vancomycin against C. difficile. C. difficile toxin production was numerically lower with teicoplanin exposure than with vancomycin exposure. CONCLUSIONS The results obtained from the present basic experiments could suggest that teicoplanin is a potential antibiotic for the treatment of severe CDI with recurrence-prevention activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Tanaka
- Division of Pharmacodynamics, Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Sho Tashiro
- Division of Pharmacodynamics, Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Shintaro Ikegami
- Division of Pharmacodynamics, Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Yuki Enoki
- Division of Pharmacodynamics, Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Kazuaki Taguchi
- Division of Pharmacodynamics, Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Kazuaki Matsumoto
- Division of Pharmacodynamics, Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy, Tokyo, Japan.
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27
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de Souza PB, de Araujo Borba L, Castro de Jesus L, Valverde AP, Gil-Mohapel J, Rodrigues ALS. Major Depressive Disorder and Gut Microbiota: Role of Physical Exercise. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16870. [PMID: 38069198 PMCID: PMC10706777 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) has a high prevalence and is a major contributor to the global burden of disease. This psychiatric disorder results from a complex interaction between environmental and genetic factors. In recent years, the role of the gut microbiota in brain health has received particular attention, and compelling evidence has shown that patients suffering from depression have gut dysbiosis. Several studies have reported that gut dysbiosis-induced inflammation may cause and/or contribute to the development of depression through dysregulation of the gut-brain axis. Indeed, as a consequence of gut dysbiosis, neuroinflammatory alterations caused by microglial activation together with impairments in neuroplasticity may contribute to the development of depressive symptoms. The modulation of the gut microbiota has been recognized as a potential therapeutic strategy for the management of MMD. In this regard, physical exercise has been shown to positively change microbiota composition and diversity, and this can underlie, at least in part, its antidepressant effects. Given this, the present review will explore the relationship between physical exercise, gut microbiota and depression, with an emphasis on the potential of physical exercise as a non-invasive strategy for modulating the gut microbiota and, through this, regulating the gut-brain axis and alleviating MDD-related symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Borges de Souza
- Center of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88037-000, SC, Brazil; (P.B.d.S.); (L.d.A.B.); (L.C.d.J.); (A.P.V.)
| | - Laura de Araujo Borba
- Center of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88037-000, SC, Brazil; (P.B.d.S.); (L.d.A.B.); (L.C.d.J.); (A.P.V.)
| | - Louise Castro de Jesus
- Center of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88037-000, SC, Brazil; (P.B.d.S.); (L.d.A.B.); (L.C.d.J.); (A.P.V.)
| | - Ana Paula Valverde
- Center of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88037-000, SC, Brazil; (P.B.d.S.); (L.d.A.B.); (L.C.d.J.); (A.P.V.)
| | - Joana Gil-Mohapel
- Island Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Ana Lúcia S. Rodrigues
- Center of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88037-000, SC, Brazil; (P.B.d.S.); (L.d.A.B.); (L.C.d.J.); (A.P.V.)
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28
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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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Marini E, Olivença C, Ramalhete S, Aguirre AM, Ingle P, Melo MN, Antunes W, Minton NP, Hernandez G, Cordeiro TN, Sorg JA, Serrano M, Henriques AO. A sporulation signature protease is required for assembly of the spore surface layers, germination and host colonization in Clostridioides difficile. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011741. [PMID: 37956166 PMCID: PMC10681294 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A genomic signature for endosporulation includes a gene coding for a protease, YabG, which in the model organism Bacillus subtilis is involved in assembly of the spore coat. We show that in the human pathogen Clostridioidesm difficile, YabG is critical for the assembly of the coat and exosporium layers of spores. YabG is produced during sporulation under the control of the mother cell-specific regulators σE and σK and associates with the spore surface layers. YabG shows an N-terminal SH3-like domain and a C-terminal domain that resembles single domain response regulators, such as CheY, yet is atypical in that the conserved phosphoryl-acceptor residue is absent. Instead, the CheY-like domain carries residues required for activity, including Cys207 and His161, the homologues of which form a catalytic diad in the B. subtilis protein, and also Asp162. The substitution of any of these residues by Ala, eliminates an auto-proteolytic activity as well as interdomain processing of CspBA, a reaction that releases the CspB protease, required for proper spore germination. An in-frame deletion of yabG or an allele coding for an inactive protein, yabGC207A, both cause misassemby of the coat and exosporium and the formation of spores that are more permeable to lysozyme and impaired in germination and host colonization. Furthermore, we show that YabG is required for the expression of at least two σK-dependent genes, cotA, coding for a coat protein, and cdeM, coding for a key determinant of exosporium assembly. Thus, YabG also impinges upon the genetic program of the mother cell possibly by eliminating a transcriptional repressor. Although this activity has not been described for the B. subtilis protein and most of the YabG substrates vary among sporeformers, the general role of the protease in the assembly of the spore surface is likely to be conserved across evolutionary distance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Marini
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República EAN, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Carmen Olivença
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República EAN, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Sara Ramalhete
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República EAN, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Andrea Martinez Aguirre
- Texas A&M University, Department of Biology, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Patrick Ingle
- Clostridia Research Group, BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Manuel N Melo
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República EAN, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Wilson Antunes
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República EAN, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Nigel P Minton
- Clostridia Research Group, BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Guillem Hernandez
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República EAN, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Tiago N Cordeiro
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República EAN, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Joseph A Sorg
- Texas A&M University, Department of Biology, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Mónica Serrano
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República EAN, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Adriano O Henriques
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República EAN, Oeiras, Portugal
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30
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Frost LR, Stark R, Anonye BO, MacCreath TO, Ferreira LRP, Unnikrishnan M. Dual RNA-seq identifies genes and pathways modulated during Clostridioides difficile colonization. mSystems 2023; 8:e0055523. [PMID: 37615437 PMCID: PMC10654110 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00555-23] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The initial interactions between the colonic epithelium and the bacterium are likely critical in the establishment of Clostridioides difficile infection, one of the major causes of hospital-acquired diarrhea worldwide. Molecular interactions between C. difficile and human gut cells have not been well defined mainly due to the technical challenges of studying cellular host-pathogen interactions with this anaerobe. Here we have examined transcriptional changes occurring in the pathogen and host cells during the initial 24 hours of infection. Our data indicate several changes in metabolic pathways and virulence-associated factors during the initial bacterium-host cell contact and early stages of infection. We describe canonical pathways enriched based on the expression profiles of a dual RNA sequencing in the host and bacterium, and functions of bacterial factors that are modulated during infection. This study thus provides fresh insight into the early C. difficile infection process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy R. Frost
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Stark
- Bioinformatics Research Technology Platform, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Blessing O. Anonye
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas O. MacCreath
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Ludmila R. P. Ferreira
- RNA Systems Biology Laboratory (RSBL), Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Meera Unnikrishnan
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
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31
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Tosun MN, Taylan Yalcın G, Korkmazer G, Zorba M, Caner C, Demirel Zorba NN. Disinfection of Clostridioides difficile on spinach with epigallocatechin-based antimicrobial solutions and sodium hypochlorite. Int J Food Microbiol 2023; 402:110301. [PMID: 37364320 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The removal of C. difficile inoculated on fresh spinach leaves washed with antimicrobial solutions was investigated. In addition, the effect of washing solutions on the total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TAMB) and Enterobacteriaceae in the fresh spinach was examined. The fresh spinach was washed through immersion in different concentrations (MIC, 2xMIC, and 4xMIC) of the natural disinfectant solution (NDS) consisting of EDTA, borax, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) content developed in our laboratory and green tea extract-acetic acid (GTE-AA) for varying contact times (5 and 15 min). Different concentrations (50, 100, and 200 ppm) of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and tap water as the control group were used to compare the effectiveness of the NDS. In addition, the effects of washing on the color, texture, and total phenol content of the spinach were determined. No statistical difference was observed in the washing of the spinach leaves with NDS prepared at 2xMIC and 4xMIC concentrations, while inhibition of C. difficile ranged between 2.11 and 2.32 logs. The highest inhibition was observed in the application of 50 ppm NaOCl for 15 min with a decrease of 2.88 logs in C. difficile spores. The GTE-AA and NDS decreased the number of TAMB by 2.27-3.08 log and, 3.21-3.66 log, respectively. Washing spinach leaves with natural disinfectant for 5 min caused a decrease of 2.58 logs in Enterobacteriaceae load, while washing with 50 ppm NaOCl for 15 min reduced Enterobacteriaceae load by 4 logs. Tap water was ineffective in reducing any microbial load. No difference was detected in the color parameters of the spinach through all washes. Although all antimicrobial washes made a difference in the texture of the spinach, the greatest loss in firmness was observed in the spinach washed with NaOCl. Washing spinach with epigallocatechin-based wash solutions can remove C. difficile in possible C. difficile contamination, thereby reducing the environmental load of C. difficile. Epigallocatechin-based disinfectants can be an alternative to chlorine-based disinfectants in improving the microbial quality of vegetables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melike Nur Tosun
- Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University Engineering Faculty Food Engineering, Canakkale 17020, Turkey
| | - Gizem Taylan Yalcın
- Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University Engineering Faculty Food Engineering, Canakkale 17020, Turkey
| | - Gizem Korkmazer
- Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University Engineering Faculty Food Engineering, Canakkale 17020, Turkey
| | - Murat Zorba
- Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University Engineering Faculty Food Engineering, Canakkale 17020, Turkey
| | - Cengiz Caner
- Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University Engineering Faculty Food Engineering, Canakkale 17020, Turkey
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Saenz C, Fang Q, Gnanasekaran T, Trammell SAJ, Buijink JA, Pisano P, Wierer M, Moens F, Lengger B, Brejnrod A, Arumugam M. Clostridium scindens secretome suppresses virulence gene expression of Clostridioides difficile in a bile acid-independent manner. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0393322. [PMID: 37750706 PMCID: PMC10581174 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03933-22] [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: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a major health concern and one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired diarrhea in many countries. C. difficile infection is challenging to treat as C. difficile is resistant to multiple antibiotics. Alternative solutions are needed as conventional treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics often leads to recurrent CDI. Recent studies have shown that specific microbiota-based therapeutics such as bile acids (BAs) are promising approaches to treat CDI. Clostridium scindens encodes the bile acid-induced (bai) operon that carries out 7-alpha-dehydroxylation of liver-derived primary BAs to secondary BAs. This biotransformation is thought to increase the antibacterial effects of BAs on C. difficile. Here, we used an automated multistage fermentor to study the antibacterial actions of C. scindens and BAs on C. difficile in the presence/absence of a gut microbial community derived from healthy human donor fecal microbiota. We observed that C. scindens inhibited C. difficile growth when the medium was supplemented with primary BAs. Transcriptomic analysis indicated upregulation of C. scindens bai operon and suppressed expression of C. difficile exotoxins that mediate CDI. We also observed BA-independent antibacterial activity of the secretome from C. scindens cultured overnight in a medium without supplementary primary BAs, which suppressed growth and exotoxin expression in C. difficile mono-culture. Further investigation of the molecular basis of our observation could lead to a more specific treatment for CDI than current approaches. IMPORTANCE There is an urgent need for new approaches to replace the available treatment options against Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). Our novel work reports a bile acid-independent reduction of C. difficile growth and virulence gene expression by the secretome of Clostridium scindens. This potential treatment combined with other antimicrobial strategies could facilitate the development of alternative therapies in anticipation of CDI and in turn reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Saenz
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Qing Fang
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thiyagarajan Gnanasekaran
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Jesse Arnold Buijink
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Paola Pisano
- Proteomics Research Infrastructure, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Wierer
- Proteomics Research Infrastructure, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Bettina Lengger
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Asker Brejnrod
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Manimozhiyan Arumugam
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Abeyawardhane DL, Sevdalis SE, Adipietro KA, Godoy-Ruiz R, Varney KM, Nawaz IF, Spittel AX, Rustandi RR, Silin VI, des Georges A, Pozharski E, Weber DJ. Membrane binding and pore formation is Ca 2+ -dependent for the Clostridioides difficile binary toxin. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.18.553786. [PMID: 37645845 PMCID: PMC10462154 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.18.553786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The C. difficile binary toxin (CDT) enters host cells via endosomal delivery like many other 'AB'-type binary toxins. In this study, the cell-binding component of CDT, termed CDTb, was found to bind and form pores in lipid bilayers upon depleting free Ca 2+ ion concentrations, and not by lowering pH, as found for other binary toxins (i.e., anthrax). Cryoelectron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, CDT toxicity studies, and site directed mutagenesis show that dissociation of Ca 2+ from a single site in receptor binding domain 1 (RBD1) of CDTb is consistent with a molecular mechanism in which Ca 2+ dissociation from RBD1 induces a "trigger" via conformational exchange that enables CDTb to bind and form pores in endosomal membrane bilayers as free Ca 2+ concentrations decrease during CDT endosomal delivery.
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San-Juan R, Origuen J, Campion K, Fernández-Ruiz M, Diaz-Pollan B, Callejas-Diaz A, Candela G, Orellana MA, Lora D, Llorente Muñoz I, Garcia MT, Martinez-Uña M, Ferrari JM, Aguado JM. Evaluation of the effectiveness and safety of oral vancomycin versus placebo in the prevention of recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection in patients under systemic antibiotic therapy: a phase III, randomised, double-blind clinical trial. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e072121. [PMID: 37709311 PMCID: PMC11148698 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the most prevalent cause of nosocomial bacterial diarrhoea and it is strongly associated with antibiotic use. The recurrence of CDI is a growing medical problem. Data from real-life studies and one open label randomised clinical trial (RCT) suggest that secondary prophylaxis with oral vancomycin (SPV) during subsequent courses of systemic antibiotics is a promising approach for reducing the risk of CDI recurrence. Our aim is to confirm the role of SPV through a double-blind RCT. METHODS AND ANALYSIS We will perform a phase III, multicentre, placebo-controlled RCT (PREVAN trial) in a 2:1 ratio in favour of SPV (experimental treatment), in four tertiary care hospitals in Spain. Adult patients (≥18 years) with a previous history of CDI in the previous 180 days and with requirement for hospitalisation and systemic antibiotic therapy will be randomly allocated to receive either 125 mg of oral vancomycin or placebo every 6 hours for 10 days. Patients will be followed for 60 days after the end of treatment to verify a reduction in the rate of CDI recurrence in the experimental group. We assume a recurrence rate of 5% in the experimental group versus 25% in the placebo group. Accepting an alpha risk of 0.05 and a beta risk of 0.2 in a two-sided test, 104 subjects will be required in total (68 assigned to the SPV group and 34 to the placebo group). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval has been obtained from the Ethic Committee for Research with medicinal products of the University Hospital '12 de Octubre' (AC069/18) and from the Spanish Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (AEMPS, AC069/18), which is valid for all participating centres under existing Spanish legislation. The results will be presented at international meetings and will be made available to patients and funders. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT05320068.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael San-Juan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Madrid, Spain
- CIBERINFEC, ISCIII - CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica del Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julia Origuen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Madrid, Spain
| | - Karen Campion
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Madrid, Spain
| | - Mario Fernández-Ruiz
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Madrid, Spain
- CIBERINFEC, ISCIII - CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica del Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Alejandro Callejas-Diaz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Puerta de Hierro University Hospital of Majadahonda, Majadahonda, Spain
| | - Giancarlo Candela
- Department of Internal Medicine, Severo Ochoa University Hospital, Leganes, Spain
| | | | - David Lora
- Clinical Research Unit (I+12), Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Llorente Muñoz
- SCREN, Fundacion para la Investigacion Biomedica del Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Teresa Garcia
- SCREN, Fundacion para la Investigacion Biomedica del Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maite Martinez-Uña
- Department of Pharmacy, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Miguel Ferrari
- Department of Pharmacy, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose M Aguado
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario "12 de Octubre", Madrid, Spain
- CIBERINFEC, ISCIII - CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica del Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
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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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Thran M, Pönisch M, Danz H, Horscroft N, Ichtchenko K, Tzipori S, Shoemaker CB. Co-administration of an effector antibody enhances the half-life and therapeutic potential of RNA-encoded nanobodies. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14632. [PMID: 37670025 PMCID: PMC10480410 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41092-7] [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: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The incidence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) and associated mortality have increased rapidly worldwide in recent years. Therefore, it is critical to develop new therapies for CDI. Here we report on the development of mRNA-LNPs encoding camelid-derived VHH-based neutralizing agents (VNAs) targeting toxins A and/or B of C. difficile. In preclinical models, intravenous administration of the mRNA-LNPs provided serum VNA levels sufficient to confer protection of mice against severe disease progression following toxin challenge. Furthermore, we employed an mRNA-LNP encoded effector antibody, a molecular tool designed to specifically bind an epitopic tag linked to the VNAs, to prolong VNA serum half-life. Co-administration of VNA-encoding mRNA-LNPs and an effector antibody, either provided as recombinant protein or encoded by mRNA-LNP, increased serum VNA half-life in mice and in gnotobiotic piglets. Prolonged serum half-life was associated with higher concentrations of serum VNA and enhanced prophylactic protection of mice in challenge models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hillary Danz
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, MA, 01536, USA
| | | | - Konstantin Ichtchenko
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Saul Tzipori
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, MA, 01536, USA
| | - Charles B Shoemaker
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, MA, 01536, USA.
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Marshall A, McGrath JW, Mitchell M, Fanning S, McMullan G. One size does not fit all - Trehalose metabolism by Clostridioides difficile is variable across the five phylogenetic lineages. Microb Genom 2023; 9:001110. [PMID: 37768179 PMCID: PMC10569727 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001110] [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: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile, the leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea worldwide, is a genetically diverse species which can metabolise a number of nutrient sources upon colonising a dysbiotic gut environment. Trehalose, a disaccharide sugar consisting of two glucose molecules bonded by an α 1,1-glycosidic bond, has been hypothesised to be involved in the emergence of C. difficile hypervirulence due to its increased utilisation by the RT027 and RT078 strains. Here, growth in trehalose as the sole carbon source was shown to be non-uniform across representative C. difficile strains, even though the genes for its metabolism were induced. Growth in trehalose reduced the expression of genes associated with toxin production and sporulation in the C. difficile R20291 (RT027) and M120 (RT078) strains in vitro, suggesting an inhibitory effect on virulence factors. Interestingly, the R20291 TreR transcriptional regulatory protein appeared to possess an activator function as its DNA-binding ability was increased in the presence of its effector, trehalose-6-phosphate. Using RNA-sequencing analysis, we report the identification of a putative trehalose metabolism pathway which is induced during growth in trehalose: this has not been previously described within the C. difficile species. These data demonstrate the metabolic diversity exhibited by C. difficile which warrants further investigation to elucidate the molecular basis of trehalose metabolism within this important gut pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Marshall
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - John W. McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Molly Mitchell
- University College Dublin-Centre for Food Safety University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Séamus Fanning
- University College Dublin-Centre for Food Safety University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Geoff McMullan
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
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Dong Q, Lin H, Allen MM, Garneau JR, Sia JK, Smith RC, Haro F, McMillen T, Pope RL, Metcalfe C, Burgo V, Woodson C, Dylla N, Kohout C, Sundararajan A, Snitkin ES, Young VB, Fortier LC, Kamboj M, Pamer EG. Virulence and genomic diversity among clinical isolates of ST1 (BI/NAP1/027) Clostridioides difficile. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112861. [PMID: 37523264 PMCID: PMC10627504 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112861] [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: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile produces toxins that damage the colonic epithelium, causing colitis. Variation in disease severity is poorly understood and has been attributed to host factors and virulence differences between C. difficile strains. We test 23 epidemic ST1 C. difficile clinical isolates for their virulence in mice. All isolates encode a complete Tcd pathogenicity locus and achieve similar colonization densities. However, disease severity varies from lethal to avirulent infections. Genomic analysis of avirulent isolates reveals a 69-bp deletion in the cdtR gene, which encodes a response regulator for binary toxin expression. Deleting the 69-bp sequence in virulent R20291 strain renders it avirulent in mice with reduced toxin gene transcription. Our study demonstrates that a natural deletion within cdtR attenuates virulence in the epidemic ST1 C. difficile isolates without reducing colonization and persistence. Distinguishing strains on the basis of cdtR may enhance the specificity of diagnostic tests for C. difficile colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiwen Dong
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Huaiying Lin
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Marie-Maude Allen
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Julian R Garneau
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Jonathan K Sia
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rita C Smith
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Fidel Haro
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Tracy McMillen
- Infection Control, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rosemary L Pope
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Carolyn Metcalfe
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Victoria Burgo
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Che Woodson
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Nicholas Dylla
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Claire Kohout
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | | | - Evan S Snitkin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Vincent B Young
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Louis-Charles Fortier
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Mini Kamboj
- Infection Control, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Eric G Pamer
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Sarma S, Catella CM, San Pedro ET, Xiao X, Durmusoglu D, Menegatti S, Crook N, Magness ST, Hall CK. Design of 8-mer peptides that block Clostridioides difficile toxin A in intestinal cells. Commun Biol 2023; 6:878. [PMID: 37634026 PMCID: PMC10460389 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05242-x] [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: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections by Clostridioides difficile, a bacterium that targets the large intestine (colon), impact a large number of people worldwide. Bacterial colonization is mediated by two exotoxins: toxins A and B. Short peptides that can be delivered to the gut and inhibit the biocatalytic activity of these toxins represent a promising therapeutic strategy to prevent and treat C. diff. infection. We describe an approach that combines a Peptide Binding Design (PepBD) algorithm, molecular-level simulations, a rapid screening assay to evaluate peptide:toxin binding, a primary human cell-based assay, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements to develop peptide inhibitors that block Toxin A in colon epithelial cells. One peptide, SA1, is found to block TcdA toxicity in primary-derived human colon (large intestinal) epithelial cells. SA1 binds TcdA with a KD of 56.1 ± 29.8 nM as measured by surface plasmon resonance (SPR).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudeep Sarma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7905, USA
| | - Carly M Catella
- Department of Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7905, USA
| | - Ellyce T San Pedro
- Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Xingqing Xiao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7905, USA
| | - Deniz Durmusoglu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7905, USA
| | - Stefano Menegatti
- Department of Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7905, USA
- Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Nathan Crook
- Department of Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7905, USA
| | - Scott T Magness
- Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Carol K Hall
- Department of Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7905, USA.
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Tashiro S, Taguchi K, Enoki Y, Matsumoto K. Antimicrobial Efficacy Evaluations of Metronidazole against Clostridioides difficile Infection using Fecal Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Analyses. Pharm Res 2023; 40:1799-1806. [PMID: 37226025 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-023-03537-6] [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: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) characteristics of metronidazole (MNZ) in Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) remain unclear. We aimed to determine the PK/PD characteristics of MNZ using a fecal PK/PD analysis model. METHODS Susceptibility testing, time-kill studies, and post-antibiotic effect (PAE) measurements were performed to evaluate in vitro PD profiles. MNZ was subcutaneously administered to mice infected with C. difficile ATCC® 43255 to evaluate in vivo PK and PD profiles, followed by determining fecal PK/PD indices with target value. RESULTS MNZ exerted concentration-dependent bactericidal activities with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and PAE being 0.79 µg/mL and 4.8 h, respectively, against C. difficile ATCC® 43255. The reduction in vegetative cells in feces and treatment outcomes were most closely correlated with the ratio of the area under the fecal drug concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h to the MIC (fecal AUC24/MIC). The target value of fecal AUC24/MIC to achieve a 1 log10 reduction in vegetative cells was 188. Upon meeting the target value, high survival rates (94.5%) and low clinical sickness score grading (5.2) were achieved in the CDI mouse models. CONCLUSIONS The PK/PD index and its target value of MNZ for CDI treatment was fecal AUC24/MIC ≥ 188. These findings may contribute to the effective clinical use of MNZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sho Tashiro
- Division of Pharmacodynamics, Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy, 1-5-30 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8512, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Taguchi
- Division of Pharmacodynamics, Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy, 1-5-30 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8512, Japan.
| | - Yuki Enoki
- Division of Pharmacodynamics, Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy, 1-5-30 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8512, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Matsumoto
- Division of Pharmacodynamics, Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy, 1-5-30 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8512, Japan
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Dupuy B. Regulation of Clostridial Toxin Gene Expression: A Pasteurian Tradition. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:413. [PMID: 37505682 PMCID: PMC10467148 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15070413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The alarming symptoms attributed to several potent clostridial toxins enabled the early identification of the causative agent of tetanus, botulism, and gas gangrene diseases, which belongs to the most famous species of pathogenic clostridia. Although Clostridioides difficile was identified early in the 20th century as producing important toxins, it was identified only 40 years later as the causative agent of important nosocomial diseases upon the advent of antibiotic therapies in hospital settings. Today, C. difficile is a leading public health issue, as it is the major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in adults. In particular, severe symptoms within the spectrum of C. difficile infections are directly related to the levels of toxins produced in the host. This highlights the importance of understanding the regulation of toxin synthesis in the pathogenicity process of C. difficile, whose regulatory factors in response to the gut environment were first identified at the Institut Pasteur. Subsequently, the work of other groups in the field contributed to further deciphering the complex mechanisms controlling toxin production triggered by the intestinal dysbiosis states during infection. This review summarizes the Pasteurian contribution to clostridial toxin regulation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Dupuy
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris-Cité, UMR-CNRS 6047, Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, F-75015 Paris, France
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Khun PA, Phi LD, Bui HTT, Collins DA, Riley TV. Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile in adults with diarrhoea in Vietnam. Anaerobe 2023:102741. [PMID: 37244476 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2023.102741] [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: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile causes antimicrobial-associated diarrhoea, however, presentations may range from asymptomatic carriage to severe diarrhoea, life-threatening toxic megacolon and even death. Reports on C. difficile infection (CDI) in Vietnam remain limited. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the epidemiology, molecular characteristics, and antimicrobial susceptibility of C. difficile isolated from adults with diarrhoea in Vietnam. METHODS Diarrhoeal stool samples from adult patients aged ≥17 years old were collected at Thai Binh General Hospital in northern Vietnam between 1st March 2021 and 28th February2022. All samples were transported to The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia for C. difficile culture, toxin gene profiling, PCR ribotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. RESULTS A total of 205 stool samples were collected from patients aged from 17 to 101 years old. The overall prevalence of C. difficile was 15.1% (31/205) with the recovery of toxigenic and non-toxigenic isolates 9.8% (20/205) and 6.3% (13/205), respectively. Thus 33 isolates were recovered comprising 18 known ribotypes (RTs) and one novel RT (two samples contained two different RTs in each sample). The most prevalent strains were RT 012 (five strains) and RTs 014/020, 017 and QX 070 three strains each. All C. difficile were susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanate, fidaxomicin, metronidazole, moxifloxacin and vancomycin, while resistance to varying degrees was seen to clindamycin, erythromycin, tetracycline and rifaximin, 78.8% (26/33), 51.5% (17/33), 27.3% (9/33) and 6.1% (2/33), respectively. The prevalence of multidrug resistance was 27.3% (9/33) and multidrug resistance was most common in toxigenic RT 012 and non-toxigenic RT 038 strains. CONCLUSION The prevalence of C. difficile in adults with diarrhoea and multidrug resistance in C. difficile isolates was relatively high. A clinical assessment to differentiate between CDI/disease and colonisation is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng An Khun
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Long Duc Phi
- Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Thai Binh, Viet Nam
| | | | - Deirdre A Collins
- School of Medical & Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Thomas V Riley
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia; School of Medical & Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia; Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Microbiology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
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Auria E, Hunault L, England P, Monot M, Pipoli Da Fonseca J, Matondo M, Duchateau M, Tremblay YDN, Dupuy B. The cell wall lipoprotein CD1687 acts as a DNA binding protein during deoxycholate-induced biofilm formation in Clostridioides difficile. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2023; 9:24. [PMID: 37169797 PMCID: PMC10175255 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-023-00393-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of bacterial pathogens to establish recurrent and persistent infections is frequently associated with their ability to form biofilms. Clostridioides difficile infections have a high rate of recurrence and relapses and it is hypothesized that biofilms are involved in its pathogenicity and persistence. Biofilm formation by C. difficile is still poorly understood. It has been shown that specific molecules such as deoxycholate (DCA) or metronidazole induce biofilm formation, but the mechanisms involved remain elusive. In this study, we describe the role of the C. difficile lipoprotein CD1687 during DCA-induced biofilm formation. We showed that the expression of CD1687, which is part of an operon within the CD1685-CD1689 gene cluster, is controlled by multiple transcription starting sites and some are induced in response to DCA. Only CD1687 is required for biofilm formation and the overexpression of CD1687 is sufficient to induce biofilm formation. Using RNAseq analysis, we showed that CD1687 affects the expression of transporters and metabolic pathways and we identified several potential binding partners by pull-down assay, including transport-associated extracellular proteins. We then demonstrated that CD1687 is surface exposed in C. difficile, and that this localization is required for DCA-induced biofilm formation. Given this localization and the fact that C. difficile forms eDNA-rich biofilms, we confirmed that CD1687 binds DNA in a non-specific manner. We thus hypothesize that CD1687 is a component of the downstream response to DCA leading to biofilm formation by promoting interaction between the cells and the biofilm matrix by binding eDNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emile Auria
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris-Cité, UMR-CNRS 6047, Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Lise Hunault
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris-Cité, INSERM UMR1222, Unit of Antibodies in Therapy and Pathology, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), F-75013, Paris, France
| | - Patrick England
- Plateforme de Biophysique Moléculaire, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR3528, Paris, France
| | - Marc Monot
- Plateforme Technologique Biomics, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | - Yannick D N Tremblay
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Bruno Dupuy
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris-Cité, UMR-CNRS 6047, Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, F-75015, Paris, France.
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Wang R. Clostridioides difficile infection: microbe-microbe interactions and live biotherapeutics. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1182612. [PMID: 37228365 PMCID: PMC10203151 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1182612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a gram-positive, spore-forming, obligate anaerobe that infects the colon. C. difficile is estimated to cause nearly half a million cases in the United States annually, with about 29,000 associated deaths. Unfortunately, the current antibiotic treatment is not ideal. While antibiotics can treat the infections, they also disrupt the gut microbiota that mediates colonization resistance against enteric pathogens, including C. difficile; disrupted gut microbiota provides a window of opportunity for recurrent infections. Therefore, therapeutics that restore the gut microbiota and suppress C. difficile are being evaluated for safety and efficacy. This review will start with mechanisms by which gut bacteria affect C. difficile pathogenesis, followed by a discussion on biotherapeutics for recurrent C. difficile infections.
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de Almeida C, Wong M, Kleijn HJ, Wrishko RE. Predicted Bezlotoxumab Exposure in Patients Who Have Received a Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant. Clin Ther 2023; 45:356-362. [PMID: 36906440 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2023.02.006] [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: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Bezlotoxumab is approved for prevention of recurrent Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) in adults receiving antibacterial treatment for CDI who are at high risk for recurrent CDI. Previous studies have shown that although serum albumin levels are an important predictor for bezlotoxumab exposure, this has no clinically meaningful impact on efficacy. This pharmacokinetic modeling study assessed whether hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients, at increased risk of CDI and exhibiting decreased albumin levels within the first month posttransplant, are at risk of clinically relevant reductions in bezlotoxumab exposure. METHODS Observed bezlotoxumab concentration-time data pooled from participants in Phase III trials MODIFY I and II (ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers NCT01241552/NCT01513239) and three Phase I studies (PN004, PN005, and PN006) were used to predict bezlotoxumab exposures in two adult post-HSCT populations: A Phase Ib study of posaconazole including allogeneic HSCT recipients (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01777763; posaconazole-HSCT population); and a Phase III study of fidaxomicin for CDI prophylaxis (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01691248; fidaxomicin-HSCT population). The bezlotoxumab PK model used the minimum albumin level for each individual in post-HSCT populations to mimic a "worst-case scenario." FINDINGS Predicted worst-case bezlotoxumab exposures for the posaconazole-HSCT population (N = 87) were decreased by 10.8% versus bezlotoxumab exposures observed in the pooled Phase III/Phase I data set (N = 1587). No further decrease was predicted for the fidaxomicin-HSCT population (N = 350). IMPLICATIONS Based on published population pharmacokinetic data, the predicted decrease in bezlotoxumab exposure in the post-HSCT populations is not expected to have a clinically meaningful effect on bezlotoxumab efficacy at the recommended 10 mg/kg dose. Dose modification is therefore not required in the hypoalbuminemia setting expected post-HSCT. (Clin Ther. 2023;45:XXX-XXX) © 2023 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Huub Jan Kleijn
- Certara Strategic Consulting Services, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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46
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Zhao W, Huang Y, Cui N, Wang R, Xiao Z, Su X. Glucose oxidase as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters improves the immunity function, antioxidative status, and cecal microbiota environment in white-feathered broilers. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1100465. [PMID: 36937262 PMCID: PMC10020722 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1100465] [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: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to demonstrate the effects of glucose oxidase (GOD) on broilers as a potential antibiotic substitute. A total of four hundred twenty 1-day-old male Cobb500 broilers were randomly assigned into five dietary treatments, each with six replicates (12 chicks per replicate). The treatments included two control groups (a basal diet and a basal diet with 50 mg/kg aureomycin) and three GOD-additive groups involving three different concentrations of GOD. Analysis after the t-test showed that, on day 21, the feed:gain ratio significantly decreased in the 1,200 U/kg GOD-supplied group (GOD1200) compared to the antibiotic group (Ant). The same effect was also observed in GOD1200 during days 22-42 and in the 600 U/kg GOD-supplied group (GOD600) when compared to the control group (Ctr). The serum tests indicated that, on day 21, the TGF-β cytokine was significantly decreased in both GOD600 and GOD1200 when compared with Ctr. A decrease in malondialdehyde and an increase in superoxide dismutase in GOD1200 were observed, which is similar to the effects seen in Ant. On day 42, the D-lactate and glutathione peroxidase activity changed remarkably in GOD1200 and surpassed Ant. Furthermore, GOD upregulated the expression of the jejunal barrier genes (MUC-2 and ZO-1) in two phases relative to Ctr. In the aureomycin-supplied group, the secretory immunoglobulin A significantly decreased in the jejunum at 42 days. Changes in microbial genera were also discovered in the cecum by sequencing 16S rRNA genes at 42 days. The biomarkers for GOD supplementation were identified as Colidextribacter, Oscillibacter, Flavonifractor, Oscillospira, and Shuttleworthia. Except for Shuttleworthia, all the abovementioned genera were n-butyrate producers known for imparting their various benefits to broilers. The PICRUSt prediction of microbial communities revealed 11 pathways that were enriched in both the control and GOD-supplied groups. GOD1200 accounted for an increased number of metabolic pathways, demonstrating their potential in aiding nutrient absorption and digestion. In conclusion, a diet containing GOD can be beneficial to broiler health, particularly at a GOD concentration of 1,200 U/kg. The improved feed conversion ratio, immunity, antioxidative capacity, and intestinal condition demonstrated that GOD could be a valuable alternative to antibiotics in broiler breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Xiaoou Su
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Product Quality and Safety of the Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Quality Standards and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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Kesavelu D, Jog P. Current understanding of antibiotic-associated dysbiosis and approaches for its management. Ther Adv Infect Dis 2023; 10:20499361231154443. [PMID: 36860273 PMCID: PMC9969474 DOI: 10.1177/20499361231154443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased exposure to antibiotics during early childhood increases the risk of antibiotic-associated dysbiosis, which is associated with reduced diversity of gut microbial species and abundance of certain taxa, disruption of host immunity, and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant microbes. The disruption of gut microbiota and host immunity in early life is linked to the development of immune-related and metabolic disorders later in life. Antibiotic administration in populations predisposed to gut microbiota dysbiosis, such as newborns, obese children, and children with allergic rhinitis and recurrent infections; changes microbial composition and diversity; exacerbating dysbiosis and resulting in negative health outcomes. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), Clostridiodes difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD), and Helicobacter pylori infection are all short-term consequences of antibiotic treatment that persist from a few weeks to months. Changes in gut microbiota, which persist even 2 years after antibiotic exposure, and the development of obesity, allergies, and asthma are among the long-term consequences. Probiotic bacteria and dietary supplements can potentially prevent or reverse antibiotic-associated gut microbiota dysbiosis. Probiotics have been demonstrated in clinical studies to help prevent AAD and, to a lesser extent, CDAD, as well as to improve H pylori eradication rates. In the Indian setting, probiotics (Saccharomyces boulardii and Bacillus clausii) have been shown to reduce the duration and frequency of acute diarrhea in children. Antibiotics may exaggerate the consequences of gut microbiota dysbiosis in vulnerable populations already affected by the condition. Therefore, prudent use of antibiotics among neonates and young children is critical to prevent the detrimental effects on gut health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pramod Jog
- Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital &
Research Centre, Pune, India
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48
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Dunisławska A, Pietrzak E, Bełdowska A, Sławińska A, Siwek M. Response in liver gene expression and DNA methylation
to changes in the intestinal microbial profile
after <i>in ovo</i> stimulation of chickens. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL AND FEED SCIENCES 2023. [DOI: 10.22358/jafs/156098/2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
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Wang C, Bai J, Chen X, Song J, Zhang Y, Wang H, Suo H. Gut microbiome-based strategies for host health and disease. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2023; 64:6834-6849. [PMID: 36803092 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2023.2176464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Host health and disease are influenced by changes in the abundance and structure of intestinal flora. Current strategies are focused on regulating the structure of intestinal flora to ensure host health by alleviating disease. However, these strategies are limited by multiple factors, such as host genotype, physiology (microbiome, immunity, and gender), intervention, and diet. Accordingly, we reviewed the prospects and limitations of all strategies regulating the structure and abundance of microflora, including probiotics, prebiotics, diet, fecal microbiota transplantation, antibiotics, and phages. Some new technologies that can improve these strategies are also introduced. Compared with other strategies, diets and prebiotics are associated with reduced risk and high security. Besides, phages have the potential for application in the targeted regulation of intestinal microbiota due to their high specificity. Notably, the variability in individual microflora and their metabolic response to different interventions should be considered. Future studies should use artificial intelligence combined with multi-omics to investigate the host genome and physiology based on factors, such as blood type, dietary habits, and exercise, in order to develop individualized intervention strategies to improve host health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Wang
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Junying Bai
- Citrus Research Institute, National Citrus Engineering Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoyong Chen
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiajia Song
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hongwei Wang
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huayi Suo
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Spore-Forming Clostridium ( Clostridioides) difficile in Wastewater Treatment Plants in Western Australia. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0358222. [PMID: 36475924 PMCID: PMC9927104 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03582-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that shows Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile is a pathogen of One Health importance with a complex dissemination pathway involving animals, humans, and the environment. Thus, environmental discharge and agricultural recycling of human and animal waste have been suspected as factors behind the dissemination of Clostridium difficile in the community. Here, the presence of C. difficile in 12 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Western Australia was investigated. Overall, C. difficile was found in 90.5% (114/126) of raw sewage influent, 48.1% (50/104) of treated effluent, 40% (2/5) of reclaimed irrigation water, 100% (38/38) of untreated biosolids, 95.2% (20/21) of anaerobically digested biosolids, and 72.7% (8/11) of lime-amended biosolids. Over half of the isolates (55.3% [157/284]) were toxigenic, and 97 C. difficile ribotypes (RTs) were identified, with RT014/020 the most common (14.8% [42/284]). Thirteen C. difficile isolates with the toxin gene profile A+ B+ CDT+ (positive for genes coding for toxins A and B and the binary C. difficile transferase toxin [CDT]) were found, including the hypervirulent RT078 strain. Resistance to the antimicrobials fidaxomicin, vancomycin, metronidazole, rifaximin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, meropenem, and moxifloxacin was uncommon; however, resistance to clindamycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline was relatively frequent at 56.7% (161/284), 14.4% (41/284), and 13.7% (39/284), respectively. This study revealed that toxigenic C. difficile was commonly encountered in WWTPs and being released into the environment. This raises concern about the possible spillover of C. difficile into animal and/or human populations via land receiving the treated waste. In Western Australia, stringent measures are in place to mitigate the health and environmental risk of recycling human waste; however, further studies are needed to elucidate the public health significance of C. difficile surviving the treatment processes at WWTPs. IMPORTANCE Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a leading cause of antimicrobial-associated diarrhea in health care facilities. Extended hospital stays and recurrences increase the cost of treatment and morbidity and mortality. Community-associated CDI (CA-CDI) cases, with no history of antimicrobial use or exposure to health care settings, are increasing. The isolation of clinically important C. difficile strains from animals, rivers, soil, meat, vegetables, compost, treated wastewater, and biosolids has been reported. The objective of this study was to characterize C. difficile in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Australia. We found that C. difficile can survive the treatment processes of WWTPs, and toxigenic C. difficile was being released into the environment, becoming a potential source/reservoir for CA-CDI.
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