1
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Ghosh A, Mukherjee M. Type 1 fimbrial phase variation in multidrug-resistant asymptomatic uropathogenic Escherichia coli clinical isolates upon adherence to HTB-4 cells. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2024; 69:1185-1204. [PMID: 38568394 DOI: 10.1007/s12223-024-01159-y] [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: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 10/17/2024]
Abstract
The adherence of bladder uroepithelial cells, subsequent expression, and regulation of type 1 fimbrial genes (key mediator of attachment) in clinical multidrug-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli (MDR-UPECs) isolated from individuals with asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) remain unexplored till date. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with the adherence of clinical MDR-ABU-UPECs to human a uroepithelial cell line (HTB-4), both in the absence and presence of D-Mannose. These investigations focused on phase variation, expression, and regulation of type 1 fimbriae and were compared to a prototype ABU-strain (E. coli 83972) and symptomatic MDR-UPECs. Discordant to the ABU prototype strain, MDR-ABU-UPECs exhibited remarkable adhesive capacity that was significantly reduced after D-mannose exposure, fairly like the MDR symptomatic UPECs. The type 1 fimbrial phase variation, determined by the fim switch analysis, asserted the statistically significant incidence of "both OFF and ON" orientation among the adherent MDR-ABU-UPECs with a significant reduction in phase-ON colonies post-D-mannose exposure, akin to the symptomatic ones. This was indicative of an operative and alternating type 1 fimbrial phase switch. The q-PCR assay revealed a coordinated action of the regulatory factors; H-NS, IHF, and Lrp on the expression of FimB and FimE recombinases, which further controlled the function of fimH and fimA genes in ABU-UPECs, similar to symptomatic strains. Therefore, this study is the first of its kind to provide an insight into the regulatory crosstalk of different cellular factors guiding the adhesion of ABU-UPECs to the host. Additionally, it also advocated for the need to accurately characterize ABU-UPECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunita Ghosh
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Biotechnology, School of Tropical Medicine, 108, C.R. Avenue, Kolkata, 700073, India
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Mandira Mukherjee
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Biotechnology, School of Tropical Medicine, 108, C.R. Avenue, Kolkata, 700073, India.
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2
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Singh S, Gola C, Singh B, Agrawal V, Chaba R. D-galactonate metabolism in enteric bacteria: a molecular and physiological perspective. Curr Opin Microbiol 2024; 81:102524. [PMID: 39137493 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2024.102524] [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: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
D-galactonate, a widely prevalent sugar acid, was first reported as a nutrient source for enteric bacteria in the 1970s. Since then, decades of research enabled a description of the modified Entner-Doudoroff pathway involved in its degradation and reported the structural and biochemical features of its metabolic enzymes, primarily in Escherichia coli K-12. However, only in the last few years, the D-galactonate transporter has been characterized, and the regulation of the dgo operon, encoding the structural genes for the transporter and enzymes of D-galactonate metabolism, has been detailed. Notably, in recent years, multiple evolutionary studies have identified the dgo operon as a dominant target for adaptation of E. coli in the mammalian gut. Despite considerable research on dgo operon, numerous fundamental questions remain to be addressed. The emerging relevance of the dgo operon in host-bacterial interactions further necessitates the study of D-galactonate metabolism in other enterobacterial strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Chetna Gola
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Bhupinder Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Vishal Agrawal
- Amity School of Biological Sciences, Amity University Punjab, Mohali, SAS Nagar, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Rachna Chaba
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Punjab 140306, India.
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3
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Kalairaj MS, George I, George SM, Farfán SE, Lee YJ, Rivera-Tarazona LK, Wang S, Abdelrahman MK, Tasmim S, Dana A, Zimmern PE, Subashchandrabose S, Ware TH. Controlled release of microorganisms from engineered living materials. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.25.615042. [PMID: 39386653 PMCID: PMC11463585 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.25.615042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
Probiotics offer therapeutic benefits by modulating the local microbiome, the host immune response, and the proliferation of pathogens. Probiotics have the potential to treat complex diseases, but their persistence or colonization is required at the target site for effective treatment. Although probiotic persistence can be achieved by repeated delivery, no biomaterial that releases clinically relevant doses of metabolically active probiotics in a sustained manner has been previously described. Here, we encapsulate stiff probiotic microorganisms within relatively less stiff hydrogels and show a generic mechanism where these microorganisms proliferate and induce hydrogel fracture, resulting in microbial release. Importantly, this fracture-based mechanism leads to microorganism release with zero-order release kinetics. Using this mechanism, small (∼1 μL) engineered living materials (ELMs) release >10 8 colony-forming-units (CFUs) of E. coli in 2 h. This release is sustained for at least 10 days. Cell release can be varied by more than three orders of magnitude by varying initial cell loading and modulating the mechanical properties of encapsulating matrix. As the governing mechanism of microbial release is entirely mechanical, we demonstrate controlled release of model Gram-negative, Gram-positive, and fungal probiotics from multiple hydrogel matrices. SIGNIFICANCE Probiotics offer therapeutic benefits and have the potential to treat complex diseases, but their persistence at the target site is often required for effective treatment. Although probiotic persistence can be achieved by repeated delivery, no biomaterial that releases metabolically active probiotics in a sustained manner has been developed yet. This work demonstrates a generic mechanism where stiff probiotics encapsulated within relatively less stiff hydrogels proliferate and induce hydrogel fracture. This allows a zero-order release of probiotics which can be easily controlled by adjusting the properties of the encapsulating matrices. This generic mechanism is applicable for a wide range of probiotics with different synthetic matrices and has the potential to be used in the treatment of a broad range of diseases.
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4
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George I, Kalairaj MS, Zimmern PE, Ware TH, Subashchandrabose S. Competitive fitness of asymptomatic bacteriuria E. coli strain 83972 against uropathogens in human urine. Infect Immun 2024; 92:e0017324. [PMID: 38780216 PMCID: PMC11237815 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00173-24] [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: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide. The main causative agent of UTI is uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). There is an immediate need for novel prophylactic and treatment strategies against UTI because of the increasing incidence of antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens. ABU 83972, an asymptomatic bacteriuria-causing E. coli strain, prevents UTI by suppressing the colonization of UPEC. However, the nature of competition and growth repression of UPEC by ABU 83972 is unclear and is the subject of our investigation. Here, we characterized the growth kinetics of ABU 83972 and uropathogens in human urine and laboratory media. Next, we performed a series of competitive co-culture experiments where ABU 83972 and uropathogens were inoculated at a 1:1 ratio in human urine and in various media, and their relative abundance was determined. In human urine, ABU 83972 outcompeted UPEC and additional uropathogens, reaching up to 90% of the total population after 24 hours of incubation. In contrast, UPEC outcompeted ABU 83972 in LB and M9 minimal media and exhibited superior colonization than ABU 83972 in the mouse urinary bladder. Since engineered living materials (ELMs) can be used to retain an organism of interest in a particular location, we developed ABU 83972-containing ELMs that effectively outcompeted UPEC in human urine. In summary, our work establishes that ABU 83972 outcompetes UPEC in a milieu- and cell-density-dependent manner, highlighting the importance of the metabolites and nutrients found in the human urine as determinants of the competitive fitness of ABU 83972.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris George
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | | | - Philippe E Zimmern
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Taylor H Ware
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Sargurunathan Subashchandrabose
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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5
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Kenneally C, Murphy CP, Sleator RD, Culligan EP. Turbidimetric bioassays: A solution to antimicrobial activity detection in asymptomatic bacteriuria isolates against uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Microbiologyopen 2024; 13:e1411. [PMID: 38706434 PMCID: PMC11070844 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1411] [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: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Traditional bacteriocin screening methods often face limitations due to diffusion-related challenges in agar matrices, which can prevent the peptides from reaching their target organism. Turbidimetric techniques offer a solution to these issues, eliminating diffusion-related problems and providing an initial quantification of bacteriocin efficacy in producer organisms. This study involved screening the cell-free supernatant (CFS) from eight uncharacterized asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) isolates and Escherichia coli 83972 for antimicrobial activity against clinical uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) strains using turbidimetric growth methods. ABU isolates exhibiting activity against five or more UPEC strains were further characterized (PUTS 37, PUTS 58, PUTS 59, S-07-4, and SK-106-1). The inhibition of the CFS by proteinase K suggested that the antimicrobial activity was proteinaceous in nature, potentially bacteriocins. The activity of E. coli PUTS 58 and SK-106-1 was enhanced in an artificial urine medium, with both inhibiting all eight UPECs. A putative microcin H47 operon was identified in E. coli SK-106-1, along with a previously identified microcin V and colicin E7 in E. coli PUTS 37 and PUTS 58, respectively. These findings indicate that ABU bacteriocin-producers could serve as viable prophylactics and therapeutics in the face of increasing antibiotic resistance among uropathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciara Kenneally
- Department of Biological SciencesMunster Technological University, BishopstownCorkIreland
| | - Craig P. Murphy
- Department of Biological SciencesMunster Technological University, BishopstownCorkIreland
| | - Roy D. Sleator
- Department of Biological SciencesMunster Technological University, BishopstownCorkIreland
| | - Eamonn P. Culligan
- Department of Biological SciencesMunster Technological University, BishopstownCorkIreland
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Phan MD, Schirra HJ, Nhu NTK, Peters KM, Sarkar S, Allsopp LP, Achard MES, Kappler U, Schembri MA. Combined functional genomic and metabolomic approaches identify new genes required for growth in human urine by multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli ST131. mBio 2024; 15:e0338823. [PMID: 38353545 PMCID: PMC10936160 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03388-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infections in humans, with ~400 million cases across the globe each year. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the major cause of UTI and increasingly associated with antibiotic resistance. This scenario has been worsened by the emergence and spread of pandemic UPEC sequence type 131 (ST131), a multidrug-resistant clone associated with extraordinarily high rates of infection. Here, we employed transposon-directed insertion site sequencing in combination with metabolomic profiling to identify genes and biochemical pathways required for growth and survival of the UPEC ST131 reference strain EC958 in human urine (HU). We identified 24 genes required for growth in HU, which mapped to diverse pathways involving small peptide, amino acid and nucleotide metabolism, the stringent response pathway, and lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. We also discovered a role for UPEC resistance to fluoride during growth in HU, most likely associated with fluoridation of drinking water. Complementary nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics identified changes in a range of HU metabolites following UPEC growth, the most pronounced being L-lactate, which was utilized as a carbon source via the L-lactate dehydrogenase LldD. Using a mouse UTI model with mixed competitive infection experiments, we demonstrated a role for nucleotide metabolism and the stringent response in UPEC colonization of the mouse bladder. Together, our application of two omics technologies combined with different infection-relevant settings has uncovered new factors required for UPEC growth in HU, thus enhancing our understanding of this pivotal step in the UPEC infection pathway. IMPORTANCE Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) cause ~80% of all urinary tract infections (UTIs), with increasing rates of antibiotic resistance presenting an urgent threat to effective treatment. To cause infection, UPEC must grow efficiently in human urine (HU), necessitating a need to understand mechanisms that promote its adaptation and survival in this nutrient-limited environment. Here, we used a combination of functional genomic and metabolomic techniques and identified roles for the metabolism of small peptides, amino acids, nucleotides, and L-lactate, as well as the stringent response pathway, lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, and fluoride resistance, for UPEC growth in HU. We further demonstrated that pathways involving nucleotide metabolism and the stringent response are required for UPEC colonization of the mouse bladder. The UPEC genes and metabolic pathways identified in this study represent targets for the development of innovative therapeutics to prevent UPEC growth during human UTI, an urgent need given the rapidly rising rates of global antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh-Duy Phan
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Horst Joachim Schirra
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nguyen Thi Khanh Nhu
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kate M. Peters
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sohinee Sarkar
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Luke P. Allsopp
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Maud E. S. Achard
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ulrike Kappler
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mark A. Schembri
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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7
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Jirillo E, Palmirotta R, Colella M, Santacroce L. A Bird's-Eye View of the Pathophysiologic Role of the Human Urobiota in Health and Disease: Can We Modulate It? PATHOPHYSIOLOGY 2024; 31:52-67. [PMID: 38390942 PMCID: PMC10885084 DOI: 10.3390/pathophysiology31010005] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
For a long time, urine has been considered sterile in physiological conditions, thanks to the particular structure of the urinary tract and the production of uromodulin or Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP) by it. More recently, thanks to the development and use of new technologies, i.e., next-generation sequencing and expanded urine culture, the identification of a microbial community in the urine, the so-called urobiota, became possible. Major phyla detected in the urine are represented by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Particularly, the female urobiota is largely represented by Lactobacillus spp., which are very active against urinary pathogenic Escherichia (E.) coli (UPEC) strains via the generation of lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Gut dysbiosis accounts for recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), so-called gut-bladder axis syndrome with the formation of intracellular bacterial communities in the course of acute cystitis. However, other chronic urinary tract infections are caused by bacterial strains of intestinal derivation. Monomicrobial and polymicrobial infections account for the outcome of acute and chronic UTIs, even including prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain. E. coli isolates have been shown to be more invasive and resistant to antibiotics. Probiotics, fecal microbial transplantation, phage therapy, antimicrobial peptides, and immune-mediated therapies, even including vaccines for the treatment of UTIs, will be described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Jirillo
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Raffaele Palmirotta
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Marica Colella
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124 Bari, Italy
- Doctoral School, eCampus University, 22060 Novedrate, Italy
| | - Luigi Santacroce
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Section of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124 Bari, Italy
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8
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Flores C, Ling J, Loh A, Maset RG, Aw A, White IJ, Fernando R, Rohn JL. A human urothelial microtissue model reveals shared colonization and survival strategies between uropathogens and commensals. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi9834. [PMID: 37939183 PMCID: PMC10631729 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi9834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Urinary tract infection is among the most common infections worldwide, typically studied in animals and cell lines with limited uropathogenic strains. Here, we assessed diverse bacterial species in a human urothelial microtissue model exhibiting full stratification, differentiation, innate epithelial responses, and urine tolerance. Several uropathogens invaded intracellularly, but also commensal Escherichia coli, suggesting that invasion is a shared survival strategy, not solely a virulence hallmark. The E. coli adhesin FimH was required for intracellular bacterial community formation, but not for invasion. Other shared lifestyles included filamentation (Gram-negatives), chaining (Gram-positives), and hijacking of exfoliating cells, while biofilm-like aggregates were formed mainly with Pseudomonas and Proteus. Urothelial cells expelled invasive bacteria in Rab-/LC3-decorated structures, while highly cytotoxic/invasive uropathogens, but not commensals, disrupted host barrier function and strongly induced exfoliation and cytokine production. Overall, this work highlights diverse species-/strain-specific infection strategies and corresponding host responses in a human urothelial microenvironment, providing insights at the microtissue, cell, and molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Flores
- Centre for Urological Biology, Division of Medicine, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, UK
| | - Jefferson Ling
- Centre for Urological Biology, Division of Medicine, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, UK
| | - Amanda Loh
- Centre for Urological Biology, Division of Medicine, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, UK
| | - Ramón G. Maset
- Centre for Urological Biology, Division of Medicine, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, UK
| | - Angeline Aw
- Centre for Urological Biology, Division of Medicine, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, UK
| | - Ian J. White
- Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, UK
| | - Raymond Fernando
- Centre for Urological Biology, Division of Medicine, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, UK
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust & Anthony Nolan Laboratories, NW3 2QG London, UK
| | - Jennifer L. Rohn
- Centre for Urological Biology, Division of Medicine, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, UK
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9
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Haley BJ, Kim SW, Salaheen S, Hovingh E, Van Kessel JAS. Genome-Wide Analysis of Escherichia coli Isolated from Dairy Animals Identifies Virulence Factors and Genes Enriched in Multidrug-Resistant Strains. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1559. [PMID: 37887260 PMCID: PMC10604827 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12101559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tracts of dairy calves and cows are reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB), which are present regardless of previous antimicrobial therapy. Young calves harbor a greater abundance of resistant bacteria than older cows, but the factors driving this high abundance are unknown. Here, we aimed to fully characterize the genomes of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and antimicrobial-susceptible Escherichia coli strains isolated from pre-weaned calves, post-weaned calves, dry cows, and lactating cows and to identify the accessory genes that are associated with the MDR genotype to discover genetic targets that can be exploited to mitigate antimicrobial resistance in dairy farms. Results indicated that both susceptible and resistant E. coli isolates recovered from animals on commercial dairy operations were highly diverse and encoded a large pool of virulence factors. In total, 838 transferrable antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) were detected, with genes conferring resistance to aminoglycosides being the most common. Multiple sequence types (STs) associated with mild to severe human gastrointestinal and extraintestinal infections were identified. A Fisher's Exact Test identified 619 genes (ARGs and non-ARGs) that were significantly enriched in MDR isolates and 147 genes that were significantly enriched in susceptible isolates. Significantly enriched genes in MDR isolates included the iron scavenging aerobactin synthesis and receptor genes (iucABCD-iutA) and the sitABCD system, as well as the P fimbriae pap genes, myo-inositol catabolism (iolABCDEG-iatA), and ascorbate transport genes (ulaABC). The results of this study demonstrate a highly diverse population of E. coli in commercial dairy operations, some of which encode virulence genes responsible for severe human infections and resistance to antibiotics of human health significance. Further, the enriched accessory genes in MDR isolates (aerobactin, sit, P fimbriae, and myo-inositol catabolism and ascorbate transport genes) represent potential targets for reducing colonization of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in the calf gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradd J. Haley
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 307 Center Drive, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (S.W.K.)
| | - Seon Woo Kim
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 307 Center Drive, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (S.W.K.)
| | - Serajus Salaheen
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 307 Center Drive, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (S.W.K.)
| | - Ernest Hovingh
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Jo Ann S. Van Kessel
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 307 Center Drive, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (S.W.K.)
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10
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Khunti P, Chantakorn K, Tantibhadrasapa A, Htoo HH, Thiennimitr P, Nonejuie P, Chaikeeratisak V. A novel coli myophage and antibiotics synergistically inhibit the growth of the uropathogenic E. coli strain CFT073 in stoichiometric niches. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0088923. [PMID: 37732769 PMCID: PMC10580823 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00889-23] [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: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infections are widespread bacterial infections affecting millions of people annually, with Escherichia coli being the most prevalent. Although phage therapy has recently gained interest as a promising alternative therapy for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, several studies have raised concerns regarding the evolution of phage resistance, making the therapy ineffective. In this study, we discover a novel coli myophage designated as Killian that targets E. coli strains, including the uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) strain CFT073. It requires at least 20 minutes for 90% of its particles to adsorb to the host cells, undergoes subcellular activities for replication for 30 minutes, and eventually lyses the cells with a burst size of about 139 particles per cell. Additionally, Killian can withstand a wide variety of temperatures (4-50°C) and pHs (4-10). Genome analysis reveals that Killian's genome consists of 169,905 base pairs with 35.5% GC content, encoding 276 open reading frames; of these, 209 are functionally annotated with no undesirable genes detected, highlighting its potential as an antibiotic alternative against UPEC. However, after an 8-hour phage treatment at high multiplicities of infection, bacterial density continuously increases, indicating an onset of bacterial growth revival. Thus, the combination study between the phage and three different antibiotics, including amikacin, ciprofloxacin, and piperacillin, was performed and showed that certain pairs of phage and antibiotics exhibited synergistic interactions in suppressing the bacterial growth revival. These findings suggest that Killian-antibiotic combinations are effective in inhibiting the growth of UPEC. IMPORTANCE Phage therapy has recently been in the spotlight as a viable alternative therapy for bacterial infections. However, several studies have raised concerns about the emergence of phage resistance that occurs during treatment, making the therapy not much effective. Here, we present the discovery of a novel E. coli myophage that, by itself, can effectively kill the uropathogenic E. coli, but the emergence of bacterial growth revival was detected during the treatment. Phage and antibiotics are then combined to improve the efficiency of the phage in suppressing the bacterial re-growth. This research would pave the way for the future development of phage-antibiotic cocktails for the sustainable use of phages for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patiphan Khunti
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | | | - Htut Htut Htoo
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Parameth Thiennimitr
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Research Center of Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Poochit Nonejuie
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
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11
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Whelan S, Lucey B, Finn K. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC)-Associated Urinary Tract Infections: The Molecular Basis for Challenges to Effective Treatment. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2169. [PMID: 37764013 PMCID: PMC10537683 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections, especially among women and older adults, leading to a significant global healthcare cost burden. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are the most common cause and accounts for the majority of community-acquired UTIs. Infection by UPEC can cause discomfort, polyuria, and fever. More serious clinical consequences can result in urosepsis, kidney damage, and death. UPEC is a highly adaptive pathogen which presents significant treatment challenges rooted in a complex interplay of molecular factors that allow UPEC to evade host defences, persist within the urinary tract, and resist antibiotic therapy. This review discusses these factors, which include the key genes responsible for adhesion, toxin production, and iron acquisition. Additionally, it addresses antibiotic resistance mechanisms, including chromosomal gene mutations, antibiotic deactivating enzymes, drug efflux, and the role of mobile genetic elements in their dissemination. Furthermore, we provide a forward-looking analysis of emerging alternative therapies, such as phage therapy, nano-formulations, and interventions based on nanomaterials, as well as vaccines and strategies for immunomodulation. This review underscores the continued need for research into the molecular basis of pathogenesis and antimicrobial resistance in the treatment of UPEC, as well as the need for clinically guided treatment of UTIs, particularly in light of the rapid spread of multidrug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane Whelan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, Bishopstown, T12 P928 Cork, Ireland;
| | - Brigid Lucey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, Bishopstown, T12 P928 Cork, Ireland;
| | - Karen Finn
- Department of Analytical, Biopharmaceutical and Medical Sciences, Atlantic Technological University Galway City, Dublin Road, H91 T8NW Galway, Ireland
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12
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Maniam L, Vellasamy KM, Ong TA, Teh CSJ, Jabar KA, Mariappan V, Narayanan V, Vadivelu J, Pallath V. Genotypic characteristics of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI) and asymptomatic bacteriuria-a relational analysis. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15305. [PMID: 37361034 PMCID: PMC10289082 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15305] [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: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the predominant agent causing various categories of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI). Although existing data reveals that UPEC harboured numerous virulence determinants to aid its survival in the urinary tract, the reason behind the occurrence of differences in the clinical severity of uninary tract infections (UTI) demonstrated by the UPEC infection is poorly understood. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the distribution of virulence determinants and antimicrobial resistance among different phylogroups of UPEC isolated from various clinical categories of cUTI and asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) E. coli isolates. The study will also attempt a relational analysis of the genotypic characteristics of cUTI UPEC and ASB E. coli isolates. Methods A total of 141 UPEC isolates from cUTI and 160 ASB E. coli isolates were obtained from Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC). Phylogrouping and the occurrence of virulence genes were investigated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates to different classes of antibiotics was determined using the Kirby Bauer Disc Diffusion method. Results The cUTI isolates were distributed differentially among both Extraintestinal Pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) and non-ExPEC phylogroups. Phylogroup B2 isolates were observed to possess the highest average aggregative virulence score (7.17), a probable representation of the capability to cause severe disease. Approximately 50% of the cUTI isolates tested in this study were multidrug resistant against common antibiotics used to treat UTI. Analysis of the occurrence of virulence genes among different cUTI categories demonstrated that UPEC isolates of pyelonephritis and urosepsis were highly virulent and had the highest average aggregative virulence scores of 7.80 and 6.89 respectively, compared to other clinical categories. Relational analysis of the occurrence of phylogroups and virulence determinants of UPEC and ASB E. coli isolates showed that 46.1% of UPEC and 34.3% of ASB E. coli from both categories were distributed in phylogroup B2 and had the highest average aggregative virulence score of 7.17 and 5.37, respectively. The data suggest that UPEC isolates which carry virulence genes from all four virulence genes groups studied (adhesions, iron uptake systems, toxins and capsule synthesis) and isolates from phylogroup B2 specifically could predispose to severe UTI involving the upper urinary tract. Therefore, specific analysis of the genotypic characteristics of UPEC could be further explored by incorporating the combination of virulence genes as a prognostic marker for predicting disease severity, in an attempt to propose a more evidence driven treatment decision-making for all UTI patients. This will go a long way in enhancing favourable therapeutic outcomes and reducing the antimicrobial resistance burden among UTI patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lalitha Maniam
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kumutha Malar Vellasamy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Teng Aik Ong
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Cindy Shuan Ju Teh
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kartini Abdul Jabar
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Vanitha Mariappan
- Centre of Toxicology and Health Risk Studies (CORE), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Vallikkannu Narayanan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jamuna Vadivelu
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Vinod Pallath
- Medical Education Research and Development Unit (MERDU), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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13
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Mak Q, Greig J, Ahmed K, Khan S, Dasgupta P, Malde S, Raison N. Competitive Inoculation as an Effective Prophylaxis Against Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections: A Systematic Review. Int Neurourol J 2023; 27:79-87. [PMID: 37401018 DOI: 10.5213/inj.2346052.026] [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: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common condition defined as the presence of bacteria within the urine above a certain threshold (usually >100,000 m/L). The lifetime risk in women is estimated to be 50%, of whom 25% will develop recurrence within 6 months. Unfortunately, the use of antibiotics to treat and manage recurrent UTI (rUTI) is a growing problem, due to the burden of growing antibiotic resistance on public health. As such, new approaches to manage rUTI are being investigated and developed. Competitive inoculation via instillation of Escherichia coli 83972 or HU2117 in the bladder is a new prophylactic non-antimicrobial therapy for rUTIs. It utilizes the principle of the protective nature of asymptomatic bacteriuria to prevent recurrence of symptomatic UTIs. However, the effectiveness and safety of this technique remains unclear. This systematic review examined the current outcomes data on competitive inoculation as an effective and safe treatment for rUTI prophylaxis. Based on a limited number of studies, current evidence suggests that competitive inoculation is an effective and safe prophylactic measure against UTIs in a select group of patients with incomplete bladder emptying. However, administration of the technology is both resource and time intensive, and there is strong data demonstrating low successful colonisation rates. Competitive inoculation is an alternative to antibiotics only to rUTI patients with incomplete bladder emptying. There is no evidence to suggest that the technology would be suitable for other subsets of rUTI patients. Further randomized controlled trials should be conducted to improve the evidence base before drawing conclusions for clinical practice, and ideas to improve colonisation rates and simplify the administration process should be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin Mak
- GKT School of Medical Education, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Julian Greig
- GKT School of Medical Education, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Kamran Ahmed
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Guy's Hospital, King's College London, London, UK
- Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shamim Khan
- Department of Urology, Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Prokar Dasgupta
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Guy's Hospital, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Urology, Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Sachin Malde
- Department of Urology, Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Nicholas Raison
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Guy's Hospital, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Urology, Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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14
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Zou Z, Potter RF, McCoy WH, Wildenthal JA, Katumba GL, Mucha PJ, Dantas G, Henderson JP. E. coli catheter-associated urinary tract infections are associated with distinctive virulence and biofilm gene determinants. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e161461. [PMID: 36512427 PMCID: PMC9977300 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.161461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Urinary catheterization facilitates urinary tract colonization by E. coli and increases infection risk. Here, we aimed to identify strain-specific characteristics associated with the transition from colonization to infection in catheterized patients. In a single-site study population, we compared E. coli isolates from patients with catheter-associated asymptomatic bacteriuria (CAASB) to those with catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI). CAUTI isolates were dominated by a phylotype B2 subclade containing the multidrug-resistant ST131 lineage relative to CAASB isolates, which were phylogenetically more diverse. A distinctive combination of virulence-associated genes was present in the CAUTI-associated B2 subclade. Catheter-associated biofilm formation was widespread among isolates and did not distinguish CAUTI from CAASB strains. Preincubation with CAASB strains could inhibit catheter colonization by multiple ST131 CAUTI isolates. Comparative genomic analysis identified a group of variable genes associated with high catheter biofilm formation present in both CAUTI and CAASB strains. Among these, ferric citrate transport (Fec) system genes were experimentally associated with enhanced catheter biofilm formation using reporter and fecA deletion strains. These results are consistent with a variable role for catheter biofilm formation in promoting CAUTI by ST131-like strains or resisting CAUTI by lower-risk strains that engage in niche exclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongsen Zou
- Center for Women’s Infectious Diseases Research
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
| | - Robert F. Potter
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, and
| | - William H. McCoy
- Center for Women’s Infectious Diseases Research
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Dermatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - John A. Wildenthal
- Center for Women’s Infectious Diseases Research
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
| | - George L. Katumba
- Center for Women’s Infectious Diseases Research
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
| | - Peter J. Mucha
- Department of Mathematics, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Gautam Dantas
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, and
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jeffrey P. Henderson
- Center for Women’s Infectious Diseases Research
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
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15
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Rivera-Tarazona LK, Sivaperuman Kalairaj M, Corazao T, Javed M, Zimmern PE, Subashchandrabose S, Ware TH. Controlling shape morphing and cell release in engineered living materials. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2022; 143:213182. [PMID: 36375222 PMCID: PMC11005089 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2022.213182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Engineered living materials (ELMs) derive functionality from both a polymer matrix and the behavior of living cells within the material. The long-term goal of this work is to enable a system of ELM-based medical devices with both mechanical and bioactive functionality. Here, we fabricate multifunctional, stimuli-responsive ELMs comprised of acrylic hydrogel matrix and Escherichia coli. These ELMs undergo controlled changes in form and have a controlled release of bacteria from the composite. We hypothesize that the mechanical forces associated with cell proliferation within a covalently-crosslinked, non-degradable hydrogel are responsible for both phenomena. At constant cell loading, increased hydrogel elastic modulus significantly reduces both cell delivery and volume change associated with cell proliferation. ELMs that change volume over 100 % also result in ~106 colony forming units/mL in the growth medium over 2 h after 1 day of growth. At constant monomer feed ratios, increased cell loading leads to significantly increased cell delivery. Finally, these prokaryotic ELMs were investigated for their potential to deliver a probiotic that can reduce the proliferation of a uropathogen in vitro. Controlling the long-term delivery of bacteria could potentially be used in biomedical applications to modulate microbial communities within the human body.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tyler Corazao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Mahjabeen Javed
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Philippe E Zimmern
- Department of Urology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sargurunathan Subashchandrabose
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Taylor H Ware
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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16
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Bacterial Growth of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli in Pooled Urine Is Much Higher than Predicted from the Average Growth in Individual Urine Samples. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0201622. [PMID: 36154127 PMCID: PMC9603375 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02016-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs), mostly caused by uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC), affect most women, and often recur. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses have not identified a common set of virulence genes, which has suggested complex host-pathogen interactions and multiple virulence mechanisms. One aspect of the host-pathogen interaction is rapid UPEC growth in urine in vivo. When bacterial growth in urine is studied in vitro, urine is pooled, which is assumed to diminish individual variation. We grew one nonpathogenic and two pathogenic E. coli strains in urine from individuals who never had a UTI, had a UTI history but no current infection, and had a UTI history with a current infection. Bacterial growth showed large variations in individual urine samples, and pooled urine often supported significantly more growth than the average growth from individual urine samples. Total nutrient content tended to be higher in current group urine samples than the never and history grouped samples urine. We propose that pooling optimizes a nutrient mixture in the never and history group urine samples, which are often studied, whereas urine from current group individuals may have a more optimal nutrient mixture because of additional nutrient sources. We conclude that a pooled urine is not "an average urine sample," and that the best comparisons of results between labs using pooled urine would also include results with a standardized synthetic urine. IMPORTANCE Urinary tract infections (UTIs) will affect most women, can recur especially in postmenopausal women, and can become antibiotic recalcitrant. Escherichia coli causes most community-acquired UTIs and recurrent UTIs. Current theories of virulence, based on studies of UTI-associated E. coli, propose multiple virulence mechanisms and complex host-pathogen interactions. Studies of bacterial growth in urine samples-one aspect of the host-pathogen interaction-invariably involve pooled urine that are assumed to eliminate variations between individuals. Our results show that a pooled urine is not necessarily an average urine sample, and we suggest that quantitative and qualitative variations in nutrient content are the basis for this discrepancy. Knowledge of growth-promoting urinary components is important for understanding host-pathogen interactions during UTIs and could contribute to developing nonantibiotic-based therapies.
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17
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Cavas L, Kirkiz I. Characterization of siderophores from Escherichia coli strains through genome mining tools: an antiSMASH study. AMB Express 2022; 12:74. [PMID: 35704153 PMCID: PMC9200922 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-022-01421-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Although urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect many people, they are usually a disease observed in women. UTIs happen when exogenous and endogenous bacteria enter the urinary tract and colonize there. Cystitis and pyelonephritis occur when bacteria infect the bladder and the kidneys, respectively. UTIs become much serious if the bacteria causing the infection are antibiotic resistant. Since the pathogenic microorganisms have been adopted to current antibiotics via genetic variations, UTIs have become an even more severe health problem. Therefore, there is a great need for the discovery of novel antibiotics. Genome mining of nonpathogenic and pathogenic Escherichia coli strains for investigating secondary metabolites were conducted by the antiSMASH analysis. When the resulting secondary metabolites were examined, it was found that some of the siderophores are effective in UTIs. In conclusion, since the siderophore production in E. coli is directly related to UTIs, these molecules can be a good target for development of future pharmaceutical approaches and compounds. Siderophores can also be used in industrial studies due to their higher chelating affinity for iron. ![]()
Genome mining on nonpathogenic and pathogenic E. coli was studied. Comprehensive and comparative analysis of siderophores were investigated. The results may open a new gate on the development of new drugs on pathogenic E. coli-based diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levent Cavas
- The Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Dokuz Eylül University, Kaynaklar Campus, 35390, İzmir, Türkiye. .,Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, 35390, Kaynaklar Campus, İzmir, Türkiye.
| | - Ibrahim Kirkiz
- The Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Dokuz Eylül University, Kaynaklar Campus, 35390, İzmir, Türkiye
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18
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Sarvari R, Naghili B, Agbolaghi S, Abbaspoor S, Bannazadeh Baghi H, Poortahmasebi V, Sadrmohammadi M, Hosseini M. Organic/polymeric antibiofilm coatings for surface modification of medical devices. INT J POLYM MATER PO 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/00914037.2022.2066668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raana Sarvari
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Behrooz Naghili
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Samira Agbolaghi
- Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Hossein Bannazadeh Baghi
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Vahdat Poortahmasebi
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mehdi Sadrmohammadi
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maryam Hosseini
- Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran
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19
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Maniam L, Vellasamy KM, Jindal HM, Narayanan V, Danaee M, Vadivelu J, Pallath V. Demonstrating the utility of Escherichia coli asymptomatic bacteriuria isolates’ virulence profile towards diagnosis and management—A preliminary analysis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0267296. [PMID: 35522610 PMCID: PMC9075641 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a significant condition associated with pregnancy and is considered as prognostic for the development of symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI). However, treating all ASB increases the use of antibiotics and leads to the development of multidrug resistance (MDR). Therefore, this study aimed to identify the distribution of UPEC associated virulence genes and antibiotic susceptibility among phylogroups of E. coli isolated from ASB in pregnancy. Moreover, the gene expression of selected virulence genes was also compared among two E. coli isolates (with different pathogenic potential) to determine its pathogenicity. One hundred and sixty E. coli isolates from midstream urine samples of pregnant women with ASB were subjected to PCR-based detection for its phylogroups and virulence genes. The antibiotic susceptibility of isolated strains was determined by the disc diffusion method. Expression of the virulence genes were determined through microarray analysis and quantitative Real-Time PCR. The prevalence of ASB in this study was 16.1%. Within ASB isolates, the occurrence of phylogroup B2 was the highest, and isolates from this group harboured most of the virulence genes studied. Overall, the most identified virulence genes among all phylogroups in descending order were fimH, chuA, kpsMTII, usp, fyuA, hlyA, iroN, cnf, papC, sfa, ompT, and sat. In this study, higher resistance to antibiotics was observed for ampicillin (77.5%), amoxicillin-clavulanate (54.4%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (46.9%) and amikacin (43.8%) compared to the other tested antibiotics and 51.9% of the tested isolates were MDR. Furthermore, hierarchical clustering and gene expression analysis demonstrated extreme polarization of pathogenic potential of E. coli causing ASB in pregnancy necessitating the need for bacterial isolate focused approach towards treatment of ASB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lalitha Maniam
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kumutha Malar Vellasamy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Hassan Mahmood Jindal
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Vallikannu Narayanan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mahmoud Danaee
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jamuna Vadivelu
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Vinod Pallath
- Medical Education Research and Development Unit (MERDU), Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- * E-mail:
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20
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Kenneally C, Murphy CP, Sleator RD, Culligan EP. The Urinary Microbiome and Biological Therapeutics: Novel Therapies For Urinary Tract Infections. Microbiol Res 2022; 259:127010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.127010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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21
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Sarshar M, Scribano D, Limongi D, Zagaglia C, Palamara AT, Ambrosi C. Adaptive strategies of uropathogenic Escherichia coli CFT073: from growth in lab media to virulence during host cell adhesion. Int Microbiol 2022; 25:481-494. [PMID: 35106679 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-022-00235-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a major concern in public health. The prevalent uropathogenic bacterium in healthcare settings is Escherichia coli. The increasing rate of antibiotic-resistant strains demands studies to understand E. coli pathogenesis to drive the development of new therapeutic approaches. This study compared the gene expression profile of selected target genes in the prototype uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) strain CFT073 grown in Luria Bertani (LB), artificial urine (AU), and during adhesion to host bladder cells by semi-quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR) assays. AU effectively supported the growth of strain CFT073 as well as other E. coli strains with different lifestyles, thereby confirming the appropriateness of this medium for in vitro models. Unexpectedly, gene expression of strain CFT073 in LB and AU was quite similar; conversely, during the adhesion assay, adhesins and porins were upregulated, while key global regulators were downregulated with respect to lab media. Interestingly, fimH and papGII genes were significantly expressed in all tested conditions. Taken together, these results provide for the first time insights of the metabolic and pathogenic profile of strain CFT073 during the essential phase of host cell adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meysam Sarshar
- Research Laboratories, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Scribano
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy.,Dani Di Giò Foundation-Onlus, 00193, Rome, Italy
| | - Dolores Limongi
- Department of Human Sciences and Promotion of the Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, IRCCS San Raffaele Rome, 00166, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Zagaglia
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Teresa Palamara
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, 00161, Rome, Italy.,Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Laboratory affiliated to Institute Pasteur Italia- Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Cecilia Ambrosi
- Department of Human Sciences and Promotion of the Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, IRCCS San Raffaele Rome, 00166, Rome, Italy.
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22
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Human Urine Alters Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Virulence and Transcriptome. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0074421. [PMID: 34105987 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00744-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gram-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an emerging cause of hospital-associated urinary tract infections (UTI), especially in catheterized individuals. Despite being rare, MRSA UTI are prone to potentially life-threatening exacerbations such as bacteremia that can be refractory to routine antibiotic therapy. To delineate the molecular mechanisms governing MRSA urinary pathogenesis, we exposed three S. aureus clinical isolates, including two MRSA strains, to human urine for 2 h and analyzed virulence characteristics and changes in gene expression. The in vitro virulence assays showed that human urine rapidly alters adherence to human bladder epithelial cells and fibronectin, hemolysis of sheep red blood cells (RBCs), and surface hydrophobicity in a staphylococcal strain-specific manner. In addition, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis of uropathogenic strain MRSA-1369 revealed that 2-h-long exposure to human urine alters MRSA transcriptome by modifying expression of genes encoding enzymes catalyzing metabolic pathways, virulence factors, and transcriptional regulators. In summary, our results provide important insights into how human urine specifically and rapidly alters MRSA physiology and facilitates MRSA survival in the nutrient-limiting and hostile urinary microenvironment. IMPORTANCE Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an uncommon cause of urinary tract infections (UTI) in the general population. However, it is important to understand MRSA pathophysiology in the urinary tract because isolation of MRSA in urine samples often precedes potentially life-threatening MRSA bacteremia. In this report, we describe how exposure to human urine alters MRSA global gene expression and virulence. We hypothesize that these alterations may aid MRSA in acclimating to the nutrient-limiting, immunologically hostile conditions within the urinary tract leading to MRSA UTI.
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23
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Jones-Freeman B, Chonwerawong M, Marcelino VR, Deshpande AV, Forster SC, Starkey MR. The microbiome and host mucosal interactions in urinary tract diseases. Mucosal Immunol 2021; 14:779-792. [PMID: 33542492 DOI: 10.1038/s41385-020-00372-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The urinary tract consists of the bladder, ureters, and kidneys, and is an essential organ system for filtration and excretion of waste products and maintaining systemic homeostasis. In this capacity, the urinary tract is impacted by its interactions with other mucosal sites, including the genitourinary and gastrointestinal systems. Each of these sites harbors diverse ecosystems of microbes termed the microbiota, that regulates complex interactions with the local and systemic immune system. It remains unclear whether changes in the microbiota and associated metabolites may be a consequence or a driver of urinary tract diseases. Here, we review the current literature, investigating the impact of the microbiota on the urinary tract in homeostasis and disease including urinary stones, acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, and urinary tract infection. We propose new avenues for exploration of the urinary microbiome using emerging technology and discuss the potential of microbiome-based medicine for urinary tract conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernadette Jones-Freeman
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Michelle Chonwerawong
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Vanessa R Marcelino
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Aniruddh V Deshpande
- Priority Research Centre GrowUpWell, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.,Department of Pediatric Urology and Surgery, John Hunter Children's Hospital, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia.,Urology Unit, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Samuel C Forster
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Malcolm R Starkey
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. .,Priority Research Centre GrowUpWell, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
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24
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GÜMÜŞ D, KALAYCI YÜKSEK F, UZ G, SEFER Ö, YÖRÜK E, KÜÇÜKER M. Urine influences growth and virulence gene expressions in Uropathogenic E. coli: a comparison with nutrient limited medium. CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.33808/clinexphealthsci.686302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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25
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Buberg ML, Mo SS, Sekse C, Sunde M, Wasteson Y, Witsø IL. Population structure and uropathogenic potential of extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli from retail chicken meat. BMC Microbiol 2021; 21:94. [PMID: 33781204 PMCID: PMC8008618 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-021-02160-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Food-producing animals and their products are considered a source for human acquisition of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria, and poultry are suggested to be a reservoir for Escherichia coli resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC), a group of antimicrobials used to treat community-onset urinary tract infections in humans. However, the zoonotic potential of ESC-resistant E. coli from poultry and their role as extraintestinal pathogens, including uropathogens, have been debated. The aim of this study was to characterize ESC-resistant E. coli isolated from domestically produced retail chicken meat regarding their population genetic structure, the presence of virulence-associated geno- and phenotypes as well as their carriage of antimicrobial resistance genes, in order to evaluate their uropathogenic potential. Results A collection of 141 ESC-resistant E. coli isolates from retail chicken in the Norwegian monitoring program for antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from food, feed and animals (NORM-VET) in 2012, 2014 and 2016 (n = 141) were whole genome sequenced and analyzed. The 141 isolates, all containing the beta-lactamase encoding gene blaCMY-2, were genetically diverse, grouping into 19 different sequence types (STs), and temporal variations in the distribution of STs were observed. Generally, a limited number of virulence-associated genes were identified in the isolates. Eighteen isolates were selected for further analysis of uropathogen-associated virulence traits including expression of type 1 fimbriae, motility, ability to form biofilm, serum resistance, adhesion- and invasion of eukaryotic cells and colicin production. These isolates demonstrated a high diversity in virulence-associated phenotypes suggesting that the uropathogenicity of ESC-resistant E. coli from chicken meat is correspondingly highly variable. For some isolates, there was a discrepancy between the presence of virulence-associated genes and corresponding expected phenotype, suggesting that mutations or regulatory mechanisms could influence their pathogenic potential. Conclusion Our results indicate that the ESC-resistant E. coli from chicken meat have a low uropathogenic potential to humans, which is important knowledge for improvement of future risk assessments of AMR in the food chains. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12866-021-02160-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- May Linn Buberg
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Solveig Sølverød Mo
- Section for Food safety and Animal Health Research, Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway
| | - Camilla Sekse
- Section for Food safety and Animal Health Research, Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marianne Sunde
- Section for Food safety and Animal Health Research, Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway
| | - Yngvild Wasteson
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingun Lund Witsø
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
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26
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Ribeiro CA, Rahman LA, Holmes LG, Woody AM, Webster CM, Monaghan TI, Robinson GK, Mühlschlegel FA, Goodhead IB, Shepherd M. Nitric oxide (NO) elicits aminoglycoside tolerance in Escherichia coli but antibiotic resistance gene carriage and NO sensitivity have not co-evolved. Arch Microbiol 2021; 203:2541-2550. [PMID: 33682076 PMCID: PMC8205896 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-021-02245-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The spread of multidrug-resistance in Gram-negative bacterial pathogens presents a major clinical challenge, and new approaches are required to combat these organisms. Nitric oxide (NO) is a well-known antimicrobial that is produced by the immune system in response to infection, and numerous studies have demonstrated that NO is a respiratory inhibitor with both bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties. However, given that loss of aerobic respiratory complexes is known to diminish antibiotic efficacy, it was hypothesised that the potent respiratory inhibitor NO would elicit similar effects. Indeed, the current work demonstrates that pre-exposure to NO-releasers elicits a > tenfold increase in IC50 for gentamicin against pathogenic E. coli (i.e. a huge decrease in lethality). It was therefore hypothesised that hyper-sensitivity to NO may have arisen in bacterial pathogens and that this trait could promote the acquisition of antibiotic-resistance mechanisms through enabling cells to persist in the presence of toxic levels of antibiotic. To test this hypothesis, genomics and microbiological approaches were used to screen a collection of E. coli clinical isolates for antibiotic susceptibility and NO tolerance, although the data did not support a correlation between increased carriage of antibiotic resistance genes and NO tolerance. However, the current work has important implications for how antibiotic susceptibility might be measured in future (i.e. ± NO) and underlines the evolutionary advantage for bacterial pathogens to maintain tolerance to toxic levels of NO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia A Ribeiro
- School of Biosciences, RAPID Group, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Luke A Rahman
- School of Biosciences, RAPID Group, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Louis G Holmes
- School of Biosciences, RAPID Group, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Ayrianna M Woody
- School of Biosciences, RAPID Group, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Calum M Webster
- School of Biosciences, RAPID Group, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Taylor I Monaghan
- School of Biosciences, RAPID Group, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Gary K Robinson
- School of Biosciences, RAPID Group, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Fritz A Mühlschlegel
- School of Biosciences, RAPID Group, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
- Clinical Microbiology Service, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, Kent, TN24 0LZ, UK
- Laboratoire National de Santé 1, Rue Louis Rech, L-3555, Dudelange, Luxembourg
| | - Ian B Goodhead
- School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Lancashire, M5 4WT, UK
| | - Mark Shepherd
- School of Biosciences, RAPID Group, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK.
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27
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Arya G, Pal M, Sharma M, Singh B, Singh S, Agrawal V, Chaba R. Molecular insights into effector binding by DgoR, a GntR/FadR family transcriptional repressor of D-galactonate metabolism in Escherichia coli. Mol Microbiol 2020; 115:591-609. [PMID: 33068046 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Several GntR/FadR transcriptional regulators govern sugar acid metabolism in bacteria. Although effectors have been identified for a few sugar acid regulators, the mode of effector binding is unknown. Even in the overall FadR subfamily, there are limited details on effector-regulator interactions. Here, we identified the effector-binding cavity in Escherichia coli DgoR, a FadR subfamily transcriptional repressor of D-galactonate metabolism that employs D-galactonate as its effector. Using a genetic screen, we isolated several dgoR superrepressor alleles. Blind docking suggested eight amino acids corresponding to these alleles to form a part of the effector-binding cavity. In vivo and in vitro assays showed that these mutations compromise the inducibility of DgoR without affecting its oligomeric status or affinity for target DNA. Taking Bacillus subtilis GntR as a representative, we demonstrated that the effector-binding cavity is similar among FadR subfamily sugar acid regulators. Finally, a comparison of sugar acid regulators with other FadR members suggested conserved features of effector-regulator recognition within the FadR subfamily. Sugar acid metabolism is widely implicated in bacterial colonization and virulence. The present study sets the basis to investigate the influence of natural genetic variations in FadR subfamily regulators on their sensitivity to sugar acids and ultimately on host-bacterial interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garima Arya
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Punjab, India
| | - Mohinder Pal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Punjab, India
| | - Monika Sharma
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, India
| | - Bhupinder Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Punjab, India
| | - Swati Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Punjab, India
| | - Vishal Agrawal
- Department of Biochemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rachna Chaba
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Punjab, India
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28
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Loubet P, Ranfaing J, Dinh A, Dunyach-Remy C, Bernard L, Bruyère F, Lavigne JP, Sotto A. Alternative Therapeutic Options to Antibiotics for the Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1509. [PMID: 32719668 PMCID: PMC7350282 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) mainly caused by Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), are common bacterial infections. Many individuals suffer from chronically recurring UTIs, sometimes requiring long-term prophylactic antibiotic regimens. The global emergence of multi-drug resistant uropathogens in the last decade underlines the need for alternative non-antibiotic therapeutic and preventative strategies against UTIs. The research on non-antibiotic therapeutic options in UTIs has focused on the following phases of the pathogenesis: colonization, adherence of pathogens to uroepithelial cell receptors and invasion. In this review, we discuss vaccines, small compounds, nutraceuticals, immunomodulating agents, probiotics and bacteriophages, highlighting the challenges each of these approaches face. Most of these treatments show interesting but only preliminary results. Lactobacillus-containing products and cranberry products in conjunction with propolis have shown the most robust results to date and appear to be the most promising new alternative to currently used antibiotics. Larger efficacy clinical trials as well as studies on the interplay between non-antibiotic therapies, uropathogens and the host immune system are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Loubet
- VBMI, INSERM U1047, Université de Montpellier, Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - Jérémy Ranfaing
- VBMI, INSERM U1047, Université de Montpellier, Service de Microbiologie et Hygiène Hospitalière, CHU Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - Aurélien Dinh
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses, AP-HP Raymond-Poincaré, Garches, France
| | - Catherine Dunyach-Remy
- VBMI, INSERM U1047, Université de Montpellier, Service de Microbiologie et Hygiène Hospitalière, CHU Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - Louis Bernard
- PRES Centre Val de Loire, Université François Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France.,Service des Maladies Infectieuses, CHU Tours, Tours, France
| | - Franck Bruyère
- PRES Centre Val de Loire, Université François Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France.,Service d'Urologie, CHU Tours, Tours, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Lavigne
- VBMI, INSERM U1047, Université de Montpellier, Service de Microbiologie et Hygiène Hospitalière, CHU Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - Albert Sotto
- VBMI, INSERM U1047, Université de Montpellier, Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU Nîmes, Nîmes, France
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29
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Mih N, Monk JM, Fang X, Catoiu E, Heckmann D, Yang L, Palsson BO. Adaptations of Escherichia coli strains to oxidative stress are reflected in properties of their structural proteomes. BMC Bioinformatics 2020; 21:162. [PMID: 32349661 PMCID: PMC7191737 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-020-3505-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reconstruction of metabolic networks and the three-dimensional coverage of protein structures have reached the genome-scale in the widely studied Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655 strain. The combination of the two leads to the formation of a structural systems biology framework, which we have used to analyze differences between the reactive oxygen species (ROS) sensitivity of the proteomes of sequenced strains of E. coli. As proteins are one of the main targets of oxidative damage, understanding how the genetic changes of different strains of a species relates to its oxidative environment can reveal hypotheses as to why these variations arise and suggest directions of future experimental work. RESULTS Creating a reference structural proteome for E. coli allows us to comprehensively map genetic changes in 1764 different strains to their locations on 4118 3D protein structures. We use metabolic modeling to predict basal ROS production levels (ROStype) for 695 of these strains, finding that strains with both higher and lower basal levels tend to enrich their proteomes with antioxidative properties, and speculate as to why that is. We computationally assess a strain's sensitivity to an oxidative environment, based on known chemical mechanisms of oxidative damage to protein groups, defined by their localization and functionality. Two general groups - metalloproteins and periplasmic proteins - show enrichment of their antioxidative properties between the 695 strains with a predicted ROStype as well as 116 strains with an assigned pathotype. Specifically, proteins that a) utilize a molybdenum ion as a cofactor and b) are involved in the biogenesis of fimbriae show intriguing protective properties to resist oxidative damage. Overall, these findings indicate that a strain's sensitivity to oxidative damage can be elucidated from the structural proteome, though future experimental work is needed to validate our model assumptions and findings. CONCLUSION We thus demonstrate that structural systems biology enables a proteome-wide, computational assessment of changes to atomic-level physicochemical properties and of oxidative damage mechanisms for multiple strains in a species. This integrative approach opens new avenues to study adaptation to a particular environment based on physiological properties predicted from sequence alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Mih
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Jonathan M. Monk
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Xin Fang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Edward Catoiu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - David Heckmann
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Laurence Yang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Bernhard O. Palsson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
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30
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Ackerman AL, Chai TC. The Bladder is Not Sterile: an Update on the Urinary Microbiome. CURRENT BLADDER DYSFUNCTION REPORTS 2019; 14:331-341. [PMID: 32612735 DOI: 10.1007/s11884-019-00543-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review The article discusses (1) techniques used to study bacterial urinary microbiota; (2) existence of non-bacterial urinary microbiota; (3) associations between changes in urinary microbiota and various benign lower urinary tract disorders. Recent Findings Urine harbors a diverse microbial community that resides within it. A multitude of studies have identified differences in these communities associated with urologic conditions, suggesting that microbial communities may maintain normal bladder homeostasis. Technological advances in analytic approaches have improved our understanding of the urinary microbiome. The choice of urine sampling method (voided, catheterized, or aspirated) will significantly influence microbiome findings. Sex and age highly influence urinary microbiota; in addition to rigorous inclusion criteria, microbial studies must be sufficiently powered to overcome the substantial interindividual variability of urinary microbiota. Regardless of these complicating factors, studies have identified microbial patterns correlating with both urologic diagnoses and treatment responses. Summary Without a clear understanding of the variability of and exogenous influences on the urinary microbiota in the absence of disease, it has been challenging to reveal the microbial patterns responsible for disease pathophysiology. Host mechanisms in response to the urinary microbiome are also poorly understood. Additional research can address whether the manipulation of urinary microbiota will benefit lower urinary tract health.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Lenore Ackerman
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 99 N. La Cienega Blvd. Suite M102, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, USA
| | - Toby C Chai
- Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, 725 Albany St., Suite 3B, Shapiro Building, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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31
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Rapid Growth and Metabolism of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli in Relation to Urine Composition. Clin Microbiol Rev 2019; 33:33/1/e00101-19. [PMID: 31619395 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00101-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains cause a majority of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Since UPEC strains can become antibiotic resistant, adjunct or alternate therapies are urgently needed. UPEC strains grow extremely rapidly in patients with UTIs. Thus, this review focuses on the relation between urine composition and UPEC growth and metabolism. Compilation of urinary components from two major data sources suggests the presence of sufficient amino acids and carbohydrates as energy sources and abundant phosphorus, sulfur, and nitrogen sources. In a mouse UTI model, mutants lacking enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, gluconeogenesis, and the nonoxidative branch of the pentose cycle are less competitive than the corresponding parental strains, which is consistent with amino acids as major energy sources. Other evidence suggests that carbohydrates are required energy sources. UPEC strains in urine ex vivo and in vivo express transporters for peptides, amino acids, carbohydrates, and iron and genes associated with nitrogen limitation, amino acid synthesis, nucleotide synthesis, and nucleotide salvage. Mouse models confirm the requirement for many, but not all, of these genes. Laboratory evolution studies suggest that rapid nutrient uptake without metabolic rewiring is sufficient to account for rapid growth. Proteins and pathways required for rapid growth should be considered potential targets for alternate or adjunct therapies.
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32
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Sub-Inhibitory concentrations of SOS-Response inducing antibiotics stimulate integrase expression and excision of pathogenicity islands in uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain 536. Int J Med Microbiol 2019; 310:151361. [PMID: 31640923 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2019.151361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infections are one of the most common bacterial infections and a major public health problem. The predominant causative agents are uropathogenic Escherichia coli. These strains differ from commensal E. coli by the presence of additional horizontally acquired chromosomal material, so-called pathogenicity islands, which encode traits that promote efficient bacterial colonization of the urinary tract. Uropathogenic model strain E. coli 536 possesses six archetypal pathogenicity islands. Bacteriophage-like integrases encoded by each pathogenicity island contribute to island instability. To learn more about the stability of these six islands and factors controlling their stability we constructed two chromosomal reporter systems for the measurement of island loss, as well as for the measurement of the promoter activity of the six island-associated integrase genes at the population level. We used these reporter gene modules to analyze the role of SOS response in island instability. Tests with subinhibitory concentrations of different antibiotics, including many drugs commonly used for the treatment of urinary tract infection, indicated that only SOS response-inducing antibiotics led to an increased loss of islands which was always associated with an increase in the bacterial subpopulations showing high integrase promoter activity. This suggests that island excision correlates with the expression of the cognate integrase. Our reporter modules are valuable tools to investigate the impact of various growth conditions on genome plasticity. Furthermore, a better understanding of the conditions, which affect bacterial integrase expression may open ways to specifically manipulate the genome content of bacterial pathogens by increasing pathogenicity island deletion rates in infecting or colonizing bacteria, thus leading to the attenuation of bacterial pathogens.
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33
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Engelsöy U, Rangel I, Demirel I. Impact of Proinflammatory Cytokines on the Virulence of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1051. [PMID: 31143172 PMCID: PMC6520761 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of a urinary tract infection on the host is a well-studied research field. However, how the host immune response affects uropathogenic Escherichia coli (CFT073) virulence is less studied. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of proinflammatory cytokine exposure on the virulence of uropathogenic Escherichia coli. We found that all tested proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and IFN-γ) induced an increased CFT073 growth. We also found that biofilm formation and hemolytic activity was reduced in the presence of all proinflammatory cytokines. However, a reduction in siderophore release was only observed in the presence of IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8. Real time-qPCR showed that all proinflammatory cytokines except TNF-α significantly increased genes associated with the iron acquisition system in CFT073. We also found that the proinflammatory cytokines induced significant changes in type-1 fimbriae, P-fimbriae and gluconeogenetic genes. Furthermore, we also showed, using a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) killing assay that all cytokines decreased the survival of C. elegans worms significantly. Taken together, our findings show that proinflammatory cytokines have the ability to alter the virulence traits of UPEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrik Engelsöy
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Ignacio Rangel
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.,Nutrition-Gut-Brain Interactions Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Isak Demirel
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.,iRiSC - Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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34
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Duncan D. Alternative to antibiotics for managing asymptomatic and non-symptomatic bacteriuria in older persons: a review. Br J Community Nurs 2019; 24:116-119. [PMID: 30817202 DOI: 10.12968/bjcn.2019.24.3.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common reasons for long-term antibiotic use in frail older people, and these individuals often have non-symptomatic bacteriuria. This article reviews the literature and recommendations for the treatment of UTIs particularly in the older population (>65 years). It considers the question: is there an alternative for antibiotics for asymptomatic and non-symptomatic bacteriuria in older adults? D-mannose powder has been recommended for the treatment of UTIs, as when applied locally, it reduces the adherence of Escherichia coli. In one study, D-mannose was reviewed for the prophylaxis of recurrent UTIs in women, and the findings indicated that it may be useful for UTI prevention instead of prophylactic antibiotics. There is a lack of information about the efficacy of cranberry products combined with D-mannose in this regard, and this is an area for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debbie Duncan
- Lecturer (Education), School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queens University, Belfast
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35
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Molecular and Functional Insights into the Regulation of d-Galactonate Metabolism by the Transcriptional Regulator DgoR in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol 2019; 201:JB.00281-18. [PMID: 30455279 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00281-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
d-Galactonate, an aldonic sugar acid, is used as a carbon source by Escherichia coli, and the structural dgo genes involved in its metabolism have previously been investigated. Here, using genetic, biochemical and bioinformatics approaches, we present the first detailed molecular and functional insights into the regulation of d-galactonate metabolism in E. coli K-12 by the transcriptional regulator DgoR. We found that dgoR deletion accelerates the growth of E. coli in d-galactonate concomitant with the strong constitutive expression of dgo genes. In the dgo locus, sequence upstream of dgoR alone harbors the d-galactonate-inducible promoter that likely drives the expression of all dgo genes. DgoR exerts repression on the dgo operon by binding two inverted repeats overlapping the dgo promoter. Binding of d-galactonate induces a conformational change in DgoR to derepress the dgo operon. The findings from our work firmly place DgoR in the GntR family of transcriptional regulators: DgoR binds an operator sequence [5'-TTGTA(G/C)TACA(A/T)-3'] matching the signature of GntR family members that recognize inverted repeats [5'-(N) y GT(N) x AC(N) y -3', where x and y indicate the number of nucleotides, which varies], and it shares critical protein-DNA contacts. We also identified features in DgoR that are otherwise less conserved in the GntR family. Recently, missense mutations in dgoR were recovered in a natural E. coli isolate adapted to the mammalian gut. Our results show these mutants to be DNA binding defective, emphasizing that mutations in the dgo-regulatory elements are selected in the host to allow simultaneous induction of dgo genes. The present study sets the basis to explore the regulation of dgo genes in additional enterobacterial strains where they have been implicated in host-bacterium interactions.IMPORTANCE d-Galactonate is a widely prevalent aldonic sugar acid. Despite the proposed significance of the d-galactonate metabolic pathway in the interaction of enteric bacteria with their hosts, there are no details on its regulation even in Escherichia coli, which has been known to utilize d-galactonate since the 1970s. Here, using multiple methodologies, we identified the promoter, operator, and effector of DgoR, the transcriptional repressor of d-galactonate metabolism in E. coli We establish DgoR as a GntR family transcriptional regulator. Recently, a human urinary tract isolate of E. coli introduced in the mouse gut was found to accumulate missense mutations in dgoR Our results show these mutants to be DNA binding defective, hence emphasizing the role of the d-galactonate metabolic pathway in bacterial colonization of the mammalian gut.
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Dahiya A, Goldman RD. [Not Available]. CANADIAN FAMILY PHYSICIAN MEDECIN DE FAMILLE CANADIEN 2018; 64:e483-e485. [PMID: 30429192 PMCID: PMC6234933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Question Je connais la fréquence des infections des voies urinaires (IVU) chez les enfants, de même que leurs séquelles potentielles si elles ne sont pas traitées. Par conséquent, dans notre clinique, nous traitons par antibiothérapie tous les enfants souffrant d’IVU symptomatiques. Par ailleurs, devrions-nous en faire autant chez les enfants qui ont une bactériurie asymptomatique? Réponse La bactériurie asymptomatique (BUA) était habituellement traitée avec des antibiotiques dans toutes les populations, y compris les enfants. Par ailleurs, selon les données probantes plus récentes, l’antibiothérapie ne s’est pas révélée bénéfique et entraîne même souvent des préjudices dans le traitement de la BUA chez l’enfant. Certaines études font valoir qu’en raison de la microbiologie différente en cause dans la BUA, celle-ci ne devrait pas être considérée comme appartenant au spectre des IVU. Ces enfants ne devraient pas recevoir d’antibiothérapie à moins d’avoir subi une greffe de rein ou des interventions urologiques invasives.
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Dahiya A, Goldman RD. Management of asymptomatic bacteriuria in children. CANADIAN FAMILY PHYSICIAN MEDECIN DE FAMILLE CANADIEN 2018. [PMID: 30429177 DOI: 10.19538/j.ek2018110602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Question I am aware of how common pediatric urinary tract infection (UTI) is, and of the potential long-term sequelae if left untreated. Therefore, in our practice we treat every child who presents with symptomatic UTI with antibiotics. However, should the same practice be applied to children with bacteriuria that is asymptomatic?Answer Historically, asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) was treated with antibiotics in all populations, including in children. However, more recent evidence has shown no benefit and often harm associated with the use of antibiotics to treat pediatric ABU. Some studies suggest that owing to the different microbiology associated with ABU it should not be considered in the spectrum of UTI. These children should not be treated with antibiotics unless they have received a renal transplant or have undergone invasive urologic procedures.
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Stork C, Kovács B, Rózsai B, Putze J, Kiel M, Dorn Á, Kovács J, Melegh S, Leimbach A, Kovács T, Schneider G, Kerényi M, Emödy L, Dobrindt U. Characterization of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria Escherichia coli Isolates in Search of Alternative Strains for Efficient Bacterial Interference against Uropathogens. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:214. [PMID: 29491858 PMCID: PMC5817090 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Asymptomatic bacterial colonization of the urinary bladder (asymptomatic bacteriuria, ABU) can prevent bladder colonization by uropathogens and thus symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI). Deliberate bladder colonization with Escherichia coli ABU isolate 83972 has been shown to outcompete uropathogens and prevent symptomatic UTI by bacterial interference. Many ABU isolates evolved from uropathogenic ancestors and, although attenuated, may still be able to express virulence-associated factors. Our aim was to screen for efficient and safe candidate strains that could be used as alternatives to E. coli 83972 for preventive and therapeutic bladder colonization. To identify ABU E. coli strains with minimal virulence potential but maximal interference efficiency, we compared nine ABU isolates from diabetic patients regarding their virulence- and fitness-associated phenotypes in vitro, their virulence in a murine model of sepsis and their genome content. We identified strains in competitive growth experiments, which successfully interfere with colonization of ABU isolate 83972 or uropathogenic E. coli strain 536. Six isolates were able to outcompete E. coli 83972 and two of them also outcompeted UPEC 536 during growth in urine. Superior competitiveness was not simply a result of better growth abilities in urine, but seems also to involve expression of antagonistic factors. Competitiveness in urine did not correlate with the prevalence of determinants coding for adhesins, iron uptake, toxins, and antagonistic factors. Three ABU strains (isolates 61, 106, and 123) with superior competitiveness relative to ABU model strain 83972 display low in vivo virulence in a murine sepsis model, and susceptibility to antibiotics. They belong to different phylogroups and differ in the presence of ExPEC virulence- and fitness-associated genes. Importantly, they all lack marked cytotoxic activity and exhibit a high LD50 value in the sepsis model. These strains represent promising candidates for a more detailed assessment of relevant fitness traits in urine and their suitability for therapeutic bladder colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Stork
- Institute of Hygiene, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Beáta Kovács
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Barnabás Rózsai
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Johannes Putze
- Institute of Hygiene, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Matthias Kiel
- Institute of Hygiene, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Ágnes Dorn
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Judit Kovács
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Szilvia Melegh
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | | | | | - György Schneider
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Monika Kerényi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Levente Emödy
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Ulrich Dobrindt
- Institute of Hygiene, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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Puchot ML, Cook AK, Pohlit C. Subclinical bacteriuria in cats: prevalence, findings on contemporaneous urinalyses and clinical risk factors. J Feline Med Surg 2017; 19:1238-1244. [PMID: 28112565 PMCID: PMC11104167 DOI: 10.1177/1098612x16688806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Subclinical bacteriuria (SB) is bacterial colonization of the urinary tract in the absence of clinical signs. The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of SB in cats and to describe results of the contemporaneous urinalysis. Secondarily, patient characteristics associated with SB were compared with those for cats without SB. Methods An electronic search identified all urine cultures performed on cats at a teaching hospital between 2009 and 2015. Results were subcategorized based on the presence or absence of lower urinary tract disease (LUTD) and SB-positive cases identified. The first control population was from samples without LUTD. The second control population was from all samples not identified as a SB-positive sample, including subclinical negative samples and those with LUTD. Five controls for each SB-positive sample were selected for both control groups. Medical records for all groups were reviewed. Results In all, 31/500 (6.2%) subclinical samples were positive. Most infections were a single organism (n = 27); four contained multiple organisms. Escherichia coli was the most common species (58%) followed by Enterococcus species (25%). Positive specimens were more likely to be from female cats (n = 24) vs male (n = 7; P = 0.0054). SB was strongly associated with bacteriuria (60% vs 6%; P <0.0001) and pyuria (67% vs 19%; P <0.0001). Positive specimens were significantly more likely to have an abnormal sediment examination (odds ratio 13.5, P <0.0001). When compared with all specimens including those with LUTD, SB was significantly associated with a lower urine specific gravity (1.022 vs 1.030; P = 0.0256) and presence of chronic kidney disease (68% vs 46%; P = 0.0168). Conclusions and relevance In this study, SB appears to be uncommon in cats and, in most cases, is associated with an abnormal urine sediment examination. Based on this study, there is little indication to perform a culture in a cat with no clinical signs of LUTD and an unremarkable sediment examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie L Puchot
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Audrey K Cook
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Caitlin Pohlit
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulate Innate Immunity against Uropathogenic and Commensal-Like Escherichia coli in the Surrogate Insect Model Galleria mellonella. Infect Immun 2017; 85:IAI.00336-17. [PMID: 28739824 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00336-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate-immunity-related genes in humans are activated during urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli but are suppressed by commensals. Epigenetic mechanisms play a pivotal role in the regulation of gene expression in response to environmental stimuli. To determine whether epigenetic mechanisms can explain the different behaviors of pathogenic and commensal bacteria, we infected larvae of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, a widely used model insect host, with a uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) strain that causes symptomatic UTIs in humans or a commensal-like strain that causes asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU). Infection with the UPEC strain (CFT073) was more lethal to larvae than infection with the attenuated ABU strain (83972) due to the recognition of each strain by different Toll-like receptors, ultimately leading to differential DNA/RNA methylation and histone acetylation. We used next-generation sequencing and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR to correlate epigenetic changes with the induction of innate-immunity-related genes. Transcriptomic analysis of G. mellonella larvae infected with E. coli strains CFT073 and 83972 revealed strain-specific variations in the class and expression levels of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides, cytokines, and enzymes controlling DNA methylation and histone acetylation. Our results provide evidence for the differential epigenetic regulation of transcriptional reprogramming by UPEC and ABU strains of E. coli in G. mellonella larvae, which may be relevant to understanding the different behaviors of these bacterial strains in the human urinary tract.
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Demirel I, Rangel I, Petersson U, Persson K, Kruse R. Transcriptional Alterations of Virulence-Associated Genes in Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-Producing Uropathogenic Escherichia coli during Morphologic Transitions Induced by Ineffective Antibiotics. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1058. [PMID: 28659883 PMCID: PMC5468405 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
It is known that an ineffective antibiotic treatment can induce morphological shifts in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) but the virulence properties during these shifts remain to be studied. The present study examines changes in global gene expression patterns and in virulence factor-associated genes in an extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing UPEC (ESBL019) during the morphologic transitions induced by an ineffective antibiotic and in the presence of human primary bladder epithelial cells. Microarray results showed that the different morphological states of ESBL019 had significant transcriptional alterations of a large number of genes (Transition; 7%, Filamentation; 32%, and Reverted 19% of the entities on the array). All three morphological states of ESBL019 were associated with a decreased energy metabolism, altered iron acquisition systems and altered adhesion expression. In addition, genes associated with LPS synthesis and bacterial motility was also altered in all the morphological states. Furthermore, the transition state induced a significantly higher release of TNF-α from bladder epithelial cells compared to all other morphologies, while the reverted state was unable to induce TNF-α release. Our findings show that the morphological shifts induced by ineffective antibiotics are associated with significant transcriptional virulence alterations in ESBL-producing UPEC, which may affect survival and persistence in the urinary tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isak Demirel
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro UniversityÖrebro, Sweden.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Örebro UniversityÖrebro, Sweden
| | - Ignacio Rangel
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro UniversityÖrebro, Sweden.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, Nutrition-Gut-Brain Interactions Research Centre, Örebro UniversityÖrebro, Sweden
| | | | - Katarina Persson
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro UniversityÖrebro, Sweden.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Örebro UniversityÖrebro, Sweden
| | - Robert Kruse
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, Örebro UniversityÖrebro, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro UniversityÖrebro, Sweden
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'Omic' Approaches to Study Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Virulence. Trends Microbiol 2017; 25:729-740. [PMID: 28550944 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2017.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is a pathogen of major significance to global human health and is strongly associated with rapidly increasing antibiotic resistance. UPEC is the primary cause of urinary tract infection (UTI), a disease that involves a complicated pathogenic pathway of extracellular and intracellular lifestyles during interaction with the host. The application of multiple 'omic' technologies, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, has provided enormous knowledge to our understanding of UPEC biology. Here we outline this progress and present a view for future developments using these exciting forefront technologies to fully comprehend UPEC pathogenesis in the context of infection.
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Magistro G, Marcon J, Schubert S, Gratzke C, Stief CG. [Pathogenesis of urinary tract infections : An update]. Urologe A 2017; 56:720-727. [PMID: 28455576 DOI: 10.1007/s00120-017-0391-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Urinary tract infections are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide. The management has become a public health concern of socioeconomic importance. Every second woman will experience at least one episode in her lifetime. Due to the emergence of multiresistant pathogens and the developmental void, treatment has become more challenging over the years. Deciphering the complex molecular interaction between host and pathogen is necessary to identify potent treatment targets for future approaches. The objective of this review is to present novel aspects on the pathogenesis of urinary tract infections and its relevance for clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Magistro
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik der Universität München, Campus Großhadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, München, Deutschland.
| | - J Marcon
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik der Universität München, Campus Großhadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, München, Deutschland
| | - S Schubert
- Max von Pettenkofer-Institut für Hygiene und Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Deutschland
| | - C Gratzke
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik der Universität München, Campus Großhadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, München, Deutschland
| | - C G Stief
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik der Universität München, Campus Großhadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, München, Deutschland
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Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTI) are among the most common bacterial infections in humans, affecting millions of people every year. UTI cause significant morbidity in women throughout their lifespan, in infant boys, in older men, in individuals with underlying urinary tract abnormalities, and in those that require long-term urethral catheterization, such as patients with spinal cord injuries or incapacitated individuals living in nursing homes. Serious sequelae include frequent recurrences, pyelonephritis with sepsis, renal damage in young children, pre-term birth, and complications of frequent antimicrobial use including high-level antibiotic resistance and Clostridium difficile colitis. Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) cause the vast majority of UTI, but less common pathogens such as Enterococcus faecalis and other enterococci frequently take advantage of an abnormal or catheterized urinary tract to cause opportunistic infections. While antibiotic therapy has historically been very successful in controlling UTI, the high rate of recurrence remains a major problem, and many individuals suffer from chronically recurring UTI, requiring long-term prophylactic antibiotic regimens to prevent recurrent UTI. Furthermore, the global emergence of multi-drug resistant UPEC in the past ten years spotlights the need for alternative therapeutic and preventative strategies to combat UTI, including anti-infective drug therapies and vaccines. In this chapter, we review recent advances in the field of UTI pathogenesis, with an emphasis on the identification of promising drug and vaccine targets. We then discuss the development of new UTI drugs and vaccines, highlighting the challenges these approaches face and the need for a greater understanding of urinary tract mucosal immunity.
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Sullivan MJ, Carey AJ, Leclercq SY, Tan CK, Ulett GC. Increased Age, but Not Parity Predisposes to Higher Bacteriuria Burdens Due to Streptococcus Urinary Tract Infection and Influences Bladder Cytokine Responses, Which Develop Independent of Tissue Bacterial Loads. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0167732. [PMID: 27936166 PMCID: PMC5147962 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus agalactiae causes urinary tract infection (UTI) in pregnant adults, non-pregnant adults, immune-compromised individuals and the elderly. The pathogenesis of S. agalactiae UTI in distinct patient populations is poorly understood. In this study, we used murine models of UTI incorporating young mice, aged and dam mice to show that uropathogenic S. agalactiae causes bacteriuria at significantly higher levels in aged mice compared to young mice and this occurs coincident with equivalent levels of bladder tissue colonisation at 24 h post-infection (p.i.). In addition, aged mice exhibited significantly higher bacteriuria burdens at 48 h compared to young mice, confirming a divergent pattern of bacterial colonization in the urinary tract of aged and young mice. Multiparous mice, in contrast, exhibited significantly lower urinary titres of S. agalactiae compared to age-matched nulliparous mice suggesting that parity enhances the ability of the host to control S. agalactiae bacteriuria. Additionally, we show that both age and parity alter the expression levels of several key regulatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are known to be important the immune response to UTI, including Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-12(p40), and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1). Finally, we demonstrate that other cytokines, including IL-17 are induced significantly in the S. agalactiae-infected bladder regardless of age and parity status. Collectively, these findings show that the host environment plays an important role in influencing the severity of S. agalactiae UTI; infection dynamics, particularly in the context of bacteriuria, depend on age and parity, which also affect the nature of innate immune responses to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Sullivan
- School of Medical Science, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alison J. Carey
- School of Medical Science, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sophie Y. Leclercq
- School of Medical Science, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Research and Development Center, Ezequiel Dias Foundation (Funed), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Chee K. Tan
- School of Medical Science, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Glen C. Ulett
- School of Medical Science, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail:
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Evaluation of the in vitro growth of urinary tract infection-causing gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria in a proposed synthetic human urine (SHU) medium. J Microbiol Methods 2016; 127:164-171. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2016.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Revised: 06/10/2016] [Accepted: 06/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Onanuga A, Selekere TL. Virulence and antimicrobial resistance of common urinary bacteria from asymptomatic students of Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. J Pharm Bioallied Sci 2016; 8:29-33. [PMID: 26957865 PMCID: PMC4766775 DOI: 10.4103/0975-7406.171684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Asymptomatic bacteriuria frequently occurs among all ages with the possibility of developing into urinary tract infections, and the antimicrobial resistance patterns of the etiologic organisms are essential for appropriate therapy. Thus, we investigated the virulence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of common urinary bacteria in asymptomatic students of Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State, Nigeria in a cross-sectional study. Materials and Methods: Clean catch mid-stream early morning urine samples collected from 200 asymptomatic University students of aged ranges 15–30 years were cultured, screened and common bacteria were identified using standard microbiological procedures. The isolates were screened for hemolysin production and their susceptibility to antibiotics was determined using standard disc assay method. Results: A total prevalence rate of 52.0% significant bacteriuria was detected and it was significantly higher among the female with a weak association (χ2 = 6.01, phi = 0.173, P = 0.014). The Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus isolates were most frequently encountered among the isolated bacteria and 18 (12.7%) of all the bacterial isolates produced hemolysins. All the bacterial isolates exhibited 50–100% resistance to the tested beta-lactam antibiotics, tetracycline and co-trimoxazole. The isolated bacteria were 85-100% multi-drug resistant. However, most of the isolates were generally susceptible to gentamicin and ofloxacin. The phenotypic detection of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases was 9 (9.6%) among the tested Gram-negative bacterial isolates. Conclusions: The observed high proportions of multidrug resistant urinary bacteria among asymptomatic University students call for the need of greater control of antibiotic use in this study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adebola Onanuga
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
| | - Tamaradobra Laurretta Selekere
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
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Ipe DS, Horton E, Ulett GC. The Basics of Bacteriuria: Strategies of Microbes for Persistence in Urine. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2016; 6:14. [PMID: 26904513 PMCID: PMC4744864 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2016.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriuria, the presence of bacteria in urine, is associated with asymptomatic, as well as symptomatic, urinary tract infection (UTI). Bacteriuria underpins some of the dynamics of microbial colonization of the urinary tract, and probably impacts the progression and persistence of infection in some individuals. Recent molecular discoveries in vitro have elucidated how some key bacterial traits can enable organisms to survive and grow in human urine as a means of microbial fitness adaptation for UTI. Several microbial characteristics that confer bacteruric potential have been identified including de novo synthesis of guanine, relative resistance to D-serine, and catabolism of malic acid. Microbial characteristics such as these are increasingly being defined through the use of synthetic human urine (SHU) in vitro as a model to mimic the in vivo environment that bacteria encounter in the bladder. There is considerable variation in the SHU model systems that have been used to study bacteriuria to date, and this influences the utility of these models. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of bacteruric potential with a focus on the specific mechanisms underlying traits that promote the growth of bacteria in urine. We also review the application of SHU in research studies modeling UTI and discuss the chemical makeup, and benefits and limitations that are encountered in utilizing SHU to study bacterial growth in urine in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Glen C. Ulett
- School of Medical Science, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith UniversityGold Coast, QLD, Australia
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Ipe DS, Ben Zakour NL, Sullivan MJ, Beatson SA, Ulett KB, Benjamin WH, Davies MR, Dando SJ, King NP, Cripps AW, Schembri MA, Dougan G, Ulett GC. Discovery and Characterization of Human-Urine Utilization by Asymptomatic-Bacteriuria-Causing Streptococcus agalactiae. Infect Immun 2016; 84:307-19. [PMID: 26553467 PMCID: PMC4694007 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00938-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2015] [Accepted: 11/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus agalactiae causes both symptomatic cystitis and asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU); however, growth characteristics of S. agalactiae in human urine have not previously been reported. Here, we describe a phenotype of robust growth in human urine observed in ABU-causing S. agalactiae (ABSA) that was not seen among uropathogenic S. agalactiae (UPSA) strains isolated from patients with acute cystitis. In direct competition assays using pooled human urine inoculated with equal numbers of a prototype ABSA strain, designated ABSA 1014, and any one of several UPSA strains, measurement of the percentage of each strain recovered over time showed a markedly superior fitness of ABSA 1014 for urine growth. Comparative phenotype profiling of ABSA 1014 and UPSA strain 807, isolated from a patient with acute cystitis, using metabolic arrays of >2,500 substrates and conditions revealed unique and specific l-malic acid catabolism in ABSA 1014 that was absent in UPSA 807. Whole-genome sequencing also revealed divergence in malic enzyme-encoding genes between the strains predicted to impact the activity of the malate metabolic pathway. Comparative growth assays in urine comparing wild-type ABSA and gene-deficient mutants that were functionally inactivated for the malic enzyme metabolic pathway by targeted disruption of the maeE or maeK gene in ABSA demonstrated attenuated growth of the mutants in normal human urine as well as synthetic human urine containing malic acid. We conclude that some S. agalactiae strains can grow in human urine, and this relates in part to malic acid metabolism, which may affect the persistence or progression of S. agalactiae ABU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak S Ipe
- School of Medical Sciences, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD, Australia
| | - Nouri L Ben Zakour
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Matthew J Sullivan
- School of Medical Sciences, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD, Australia
| | - Scott A Beatson
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Kimberly B Ulett
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - William H Benjamin
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Mark R Davies
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Samantha J Dando
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD, Australia
| | - Nathan P King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Allan W Cripps
- School of Medical Sciences, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark A Schembri
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Gordon Dougan
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Glen C Ulett
- School of Medical Sciences, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD, Australia Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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50
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Genetic Evaluation of E. coli Strains Isolated from Asymptomatic Children with Neurogenic Bladders. Int J Chronic Dis 2015; 2015:206570. [PMID: 26609542 PMCID: PMC4644559 DOI: 10.1155/2015/206570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Revised: 09/06/2015] [Accepted: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was conducted to describe the genetic profiles of E. coli that colonize asymptomatic pediatric neurogenic bladders. E. coli was isolated from 25 of 80 urine samples. Patients were excluded if they presented with symptomatic urinary tract infection or received treatment with antibiotics in the preceding three months. Multiplex PCR was performed to determine E. coli phylotype (A, B1, B2, and D) and the presence of seven pathogenicity islands (PAIs) and 10 virulence factors (VFs). E. coli strains were predominantly of the B1 and B2 phylotype, with few strains in the A or D phylotype. The PAIs IV536, ICFT073, and IICFT073 had the highest prevalence: 76%, 64%, and 48%, respectively. The PAIs II536, IJ96, and IIJ96 were less prevalent: 28%, 20%, and 24%, respectively. The most prevalent VF was vat (40%), while the least prevalent VFs were sfa (8%) and iha (12%). None of the strains carried the VF fyuA, which is very common in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC). The genetic profiles of E. coli in this cohort seem to be more similar to UPEC than to commensal E. coli. However, they appear to have reduced virulence potential that allows them to colonize asymptomatically.
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