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Kempher ML, Shadid TM, Larabee JL, Ballard JD. A sequence invariable region in TcdB2 is required for toxin escape from Clostridioides difficile. J Bacteriol 2024; 206:e0009624. [PMID: 38888328 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00096-24] [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: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Sequence differences among the subtypes of Clostridioides difficile toxin TcdB (2,366 amino acids) are broadly distributed across the entire protein, with the notable exception of 76 residues at the protein's carboxy terminus. This sequence invariable region (SIR) is identical at the DNA and protein level among the TcdB variants, suggesting this string of amino acids has undergone selective pressure to prevent alterations. The functional role of the SIR domain in TcdB has not been determined. Analysis of a recombinantly constructed TcdB mutant lacking the SIR domain did not identify changes in TcdB's enzymatic or cytopathic activities. To further assess the SIR region, we constructed a C. difficile strain with the final 228 bp deleted from the tcdB gene, resulting in the production of a truncated form of TcdB lacking the SIR (TcdB2∆2291-2366). Using a combination of approaches, we found in the absence of the SIR sequence TcdB2∆2291-2366 retained cytotoxic activity but was not secreted from C. difficile. TcdB2∆2291-2366 was not released from the cell under autolytic conditions, indicating the SIR is involved in a more discrete step in toxin escape from the bacterium. Fractionation experiments combined with antibody detection found that TcdB2∆2291-2366 accumulates at the cell membrane but is unable to complete steps in secretion beyond this point. These data suggest conservation of the SIR domain across variants of TcdB could be influenced by the sequence's role in efficient escape of the toxin from C. difficile. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile is a leading cause of antibiotic associated disease in the United States. The primary virulence factors produced by C. difficile are two large glucosylating toxins TcdA and TcdB. To date, several sequence variants of TcdB have been identified that differ in various functional properties. Here, we identified a highly conserved region among TcdB subtypes that is required for release of the toxin from C. difficile. This study reveals a putative role for the longest stretch of invariable sequence among TcdB subtypes and provides new details regarding toxin release into the extracellular environment. Improving our understanding of the functional roles of the conserved regions of TcdB variants aids in the development of new, broadly applicable strategies to treat CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Kempher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Tyler M Shadid
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Jason L Larabee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Jimmy D Ballard
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
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2
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Jandl B, Dighe S, Gasche C, Makristathis A, Muttenthaler M. Intestinal biofilms: pathophysiological relevance, host defense, and therapeutic opportunities. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024:e0013323. [PMID: 38995034 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00133-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYThe human intestinal tract harbors a profound variety of microorganisms that live in symbiosis with the host and each other. It is a complex and highly dynamic environment whose homeostasis directly relates to human health. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and polymicrobial biofilms have been associated with gastrointestinal diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, and colorectal cancers. This review covers the molecular composition and organization of intestinal biofilms, mechanistic aspects of biofilm signaling networks for bacterial communication and behavior, and synergistic effects in polymicrobial biofilms. It further describes the clinical relevance and diseases associated with gut biofilms, the role of biofilms in antimicrobial resistance, and the intestinal host defense system and therapeutic strategies counteracting biofilms. Taken together, this review summarizes the latest knowledge and research on intestinal biofilms and their role in gut disorders and provides directions toward the development of biofilm-specific treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Jandl
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Doctoral School in Chemistry (DoSChem), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Satish Dighe
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Christoph Gasche
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Loha for Life, Center for Gastroenterology and Iron Deficiency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Athanasios Makristathis
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Markus Muttenthaler
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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3
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Rodriguez Rodriguez ER, Nordvang RT, Petersson M, Rendsvig JKH, Arendrup EW, Fernández Quintero ML, Jenkins TP, Laustsen AH, Thrane SW. Fit-for-purpose heterodivalent single-domain antibody for gastrointestinal targeting of toxin B from Clostridium difficile. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5035. [PMID: 38923049 PMCID: PMC11201815 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5035] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), such as VHHs, are increasingly being developed for gastrointestinal (GI) applications against pathogens to strengthen gut health. However, what constitutes a suitable developability profile for applying these proteins in a gastrointestinal setting remains poorly explored. Here, we describe an in vitro methodology for the identification of sdAb derivatives, more specifically divalent VHH constructs, that display extraordinary developability properties for oral delivery and functionality in the GI environment. We showcase this by developing a heterodivalent VHH construct that cross-inhibits the toxic activity of the glycosyltransferase domains (GTDs) from three different toxinotypes of cytotoxin B (TcdB) from lineages of Clostridium difficile. We show that the VHH construct possesses high stability and binding activity under gastric conditions, in the presence of bile salts, and at high temperatures. We suggest that the incorporation of early developability assessment could significantly aid in the efficient discovery of VHHs and related constructs fit for oral delivery and GI applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marcus Petersson
- Bactolife A/SCopenhagen EastDenmark
- Department of Biotechnology and BiomedicineTechnical University of DenmarkLyngbyDenmark
| | | | | | | | - Timothy P. Jenkins
- Department of Biotechnology and BiomedicineTechnical University of DenmarkLyngbyDenmark
| | - Andreas H. Laustsen
- Bactolife A/SCopenhagen EastDenmark
- Department of Biotechnology and BiomedicineTechnical University of DenmarkLyngbyDenmark
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4
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Norman KM, Lang GA, Shadid TM, Honold ST, Reel JM, Cox MA, Ballard JD, Lang ML. Clostridioides difficile toxin B subverts germinal center and antibody recall responses by stimulating a drug-treatable CXCR4-dependent mechanism. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114245. [PMID: 38761377 PMCID: PMC11210377 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114245] [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: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) results in significant morbidity and mortality. We previously established that CDI in mice does not protect against reinfection and is associated with poor pathogen-specific B cell memory (Bmem), recapitulating our observations with human Bmem. Here, we demonstrate that the secreted toxin TcdB2 is responsible for subversion of Bmem responses. TcdB2 from an endemic C. difficile strain delayed immunoglobulin G (IgG) class switch following vaccination, attenuated IgG recall to a vaccine booster, and prevented germinal center formation. The mechanism of TcdB2 action included increased B cell CXCR4 expression and responsiveness to its ligand CXCL12, accounting for altered cell migration and a failure of germinal center-dependent Bmem. These results were reproduced in a C. difficile infection model, and a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved CXCR4-blocking drug rescued germinal center formation. We therefore provide mechanistic insights into C. difficile-associated pathogenesis and illuminate a target for clinical intervention to limit recurrent disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaylee M Norman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Gillian A Lang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Tyler M Shadid
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Sydney T Honold
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Jessica M Reel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Maureen A Cox
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Jimmy D Ballard
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Mark L Lang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.
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5
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Alam MZ, Madan R. Clostridioides difficile Toxins: Host Cell Interactions and Their Role in Disease Pathogenesis. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:241. [PMID: 38922136 PMCID: PMC11209539 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16060241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile, a Gram-positive anaerobic bacterium, is the leading cause of hospital-acquired antibiotic-associated diarrhea worldwide. The severity of C. difficile infection (CDI) varies, ranging from mild diarrhea to life-threatening conditions such as pseudomembranous colitis and toxic megacolon. Central to the pathogenesis of the infection are toxins produced by C. difficile, with toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB) as the main virulence factors. Additionally, some strains produce a third toxin known as C. difficile transferase (CDT). Toxins damage the colonic epithelium, initiating a cascade of cellular events that lead to inflammation, fluid secretion, and further tissue damage within the colon. Mechanistically, the toxins bind to cell surface receptors, internalize, and then inactivate GTPase proteins, disrupting the organization of the cytoskeleton and affecting various Rho-dependent cellular processes. This results in a loss of epithelial barrier functions and the induction of cell death. The third toxin, CDT, however, functions as a binary actin-ADP-ribosylating toxin, causing actin depolymerization and inducing the formation of microtubule-based protrusions. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the interaction between C. difficile toxins and host cells, elucidating the functional consequences of their actions. Furthermore, we will outline how this knowledge forms the basis for developing innovative, toxin-based strategies for treating and preventing CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Zahidul Alam
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, 600 Moye Boulevard, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Rajat Madan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA;
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
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Stămăteanu LO, Pleşca CE, Miftode IL, Bădescu AC, Manciuc DC, Hurmuzache ME, Roșu MF, Miftode RȘ, Obreja M, Miftode EG. " Primum, non nocere": The Epidemiology of Toxigenic Clostridioides difficile Strains in the Antibiotic Era-Insights from a Prospective Study at a Regional Infectious Diseases Hospital in Eastern Europe. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:461. [PMID: 38786189 PMCID: PMC11117487 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13050461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), though identified nearly five decades ago, still remains a major challenge, being associated with significant mortality rates. The strains classified as hypervirulent, notably 027/NAP1/BI, have garnered substantial attention from researchers and clinicians due to their direct correlation with the severity of the disease. Our study aims to elucidate the significance of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile (CD) strains in the clinical and therapeutic aspects of managing patients diagnosed with CDI. We conducted a single-center prospective study, including patients with CDI from north-eastern Romania. We subsequently conducted molecular biology testing to ascertain the prevalence of the presumptive 027/NAP1/BI strain within aforementioned geographic region. The patients were systematically compared and assessed both clinically and biologically, employing standardized and comparative methodologies. The study enrolled fifty patients with CDI admitted between January 2020 and June 2020. Among the investigated patients, 43 (86%) exhibited infection with toxigenic CD strains positive for toxin B genes (tcdB), binary toxin genes (cdtA and cdtB), and deletion 117 in regulatory genes (tcdC), while the remaining 7 (14%) tested negative for binary toxin genes (cdtA and cdtB) and deletion 117 in tcdC. The presence of the presumptive 027/NAP1/BI strains was linked to a higher recurrence rate (35.56%, p = 0.025), cardiovascular comorbidities (65.1% vs. 14.2%, p = 0.016), and vancomycin treatment (55.8% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.049). The findings of our investigation revealed an elevated incidence of colitis attributed to presumptive 027/NAP1/BI. Despite the prevalence of the presumptive 027 strain and its associated heightened inflammation among the patients studied, no significant differences were observed regarding the clinical course or mortality outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Oana Stămăteanu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (L.O.S.); (D.C.M.); (M.E.H.); (M.O.); (E.G.M.)
- “St. Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iasi, Romania; (A.C.B.); (M.F.R.)
| | - Claudia Elena Pleşca
- Department of Infectious Diseases, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (L.O.S.); (D.C.M.); (M.E.H.); (M.O.); (E.G.M.)
- “St. Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iasi, Romania; (A.C.B.); (M.F.R.)
| | - Ionela Larisa Miftode
- Department of Infectious Diseases, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (L.O.S.); (D.C.M.); (M.E.H.); (M.O.); (E.G.M.)
- “St. Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iasi, Romania; (A.C.B.); (M.F.R.)
| | - Aida Corina Bădescu
- “St. Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iasi, Romania; (A.C.B.); (M.F.R.)
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Interdisciplinarity, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Doina Carmen Manciuc
- Department of Infectious Diseases, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (L.O.S.); (D.C.M.); (M.E.H.); (M.O.); (E.G.M.)
- “St. Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iasi, Romania; (A.C.B.); (M.F.R.)
| | - Mihnea Eudoxiu Hurmuzache
- Department of Infectious Diseases, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (L.O.S.); (D.C.M.); (M.E.H.); (M.O.); (E.G.M.)
- “St. Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iasi, Romania; (A.C.B.); (M.F.R.)
| | - Manuel Florin Roșu
- “St. Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iasi, Romania; (A.C.B.); (M.F.R.)
- Surgical (Dentoalveolar and Maxillofacial Surgery) Department, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Radu Ștefan Miftode
- Department of Internal Medicine I (Cardiology), “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania;
| | - Maria Obreja
- Department of Infectious Diseases, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (L.O.S.); (D.C.M.); (M.E.H.); (M.O.); (E.G.M.)
- “St. Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iasi, Romania; (A.C.B.); (M.F.R.)
| | - Egidia Gabriela Miftode
- Department of Infectious Diseases, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (L.O.S.); (D.C.M.); (M.E.H.); (M.O.); (E.G.M.)
- “St. Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iasi, Romania; (A.C.B.); (M.F.R.)
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7
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Pourliotopoulou E, Karampatakis T, Kachrimanidou M. Exploring the Toxin-Mediated Mechanisms in Clostridioides difficile Infection. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1004. [PMID: 38792835 PMCID: PMC11124097 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12051004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and colitis, with increasing incidence and healthcare costs. Its pathogenesis is primarily driven by toxins produced by the bacterium C. difficile, Toxin A (TcdA) and Toxin B (TcdB). Certain strains produce an additional toxin, the C. difficile transferase (CDT), which further enhances the virulence and pathogenicity of C. difficile. These toxins disrupt colonic epithelial barrier integrity, and induce inflammation and cellular damage, leading to CDI symptoms. Significant progress has been made in the past decade in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of TcdA, TcdB, and CDT, which provide insights into the management of CDI and the future development of novel treatment strategies based on anti-toxin therapies. While antibiotics are common treatments, high recurrence rates necessitate alternative therapies. Bezlotoxumab, targeting TcdB, is the only available anti-toxin, yet limitations persist, prompting ongoing research. This review highlights the current knowledge of the structure and mechanism of action of C. difficile toxins and their role in disease. By comprehensively describing the toxin-mediated mechanisms, this review provides insights for the future development of novel treatment strategies and the management of CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evdokia Pourliotopoulou
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | | | - Melania Kachrimanidou
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece;
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Siddiqi U, Lunnemann HM, Childress KO, Shupe JA, Rutherford SA, Farrow MA, Washington MK, Coffey RJ, Lacy DB, Markham NO. Inhibition of EGFR/ErbB does not protect against C. difficile toxin B. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.13.594035. [PMID: 38798529 PMCID: PMC11118545 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.13.594035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a common cause of diarrhea and mortality, especially in immunosuppressed and hospitalized patients. C. difficile is a toxin-mediated disease, but the host cell receptors for C. difficile toxin B (TcdB) have only recently been revealed. Emerging data suggest TcdB interacts with receptor tyrosine kinases during infection. In particular, TcdB can elicit Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) transactivation in human colonic epithelial cells. The mechanisms for this function are not well understood, and the involvement of other receptors in the EGFR family of Erythroblastic Leukemia Viral Oncogene Homolog (ErbB) receptors remains unclear. Furthermore, in an siRNA-knockdown screen for protective genes involved with TcdB toxin pathogenesis, we show ErbB2 and ErbB3 loss resulted in increased cell viability. We hypothesize TcdB induces the transactivation of EGFR and/or ErbB receptors as a component of its cell-killing mechanism. Here, we show in vivo intrarectal instillation of TcdB in mice leads to phosphorylation of ErbB2 and ErbB3. However, immunohistochemical staining for phosphorylated ErbB2 and ErbB3 indicated no discernible difference between control and TcdB-treated mice for epithelial phospho-ErbB2 and phospho-ErbB3. Human colon cancer cell lines (HT29, Caco-2) exposed to TcdB were not protected by pre-treatment with lapatinib, an EGFR/ErbB2 inhibitor. Similarly, lapatinib pre-treatment failed to protect normal human colonoids from TcdB-induced cell death. Neutralizing antibodies against mouse EGFR failed to protect mice from TcdB intrarectal instillation as measured by edema, inflammatory infiltration, and epithelial injury. Our findings suggest TcdB-induced colonocyte cell death does not require EGFR/ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase activation.
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Aminzadeh A, Hilgers L, Paul Platenburg P, Riou M, Perrot N, Rossignol C, Cauty A, Barc C, Jørgensen R. Immunogenicity and safety in rabbits of a Clostridioides difficile vaccine combining novel toxoids and a novel adjuvant. Vaccine 2024; 42:1582-1592. [PMID: 38336558 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.01.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a serious healthcare-associated disease, causing symptoms such as diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. The major virulence factors responsible for the disease symptoms are two secreted cytotoxic proteins, TcdA and TcdB. A parenteral vaccine based on formaldehyde-inactivated TcdA and TcdB supplemented with alum adjuvant, has previously been investigated in humans but resulted in an insufficient immune response. In search for an improved response, we investigated a novel toxin inactivation method and a novel, potent adjuvant. Inactivation of toxins by metal-catalyzed oxidation (MCO) was previously shown to preserve neutralizing epitopes and to annihilate reversion to toxicity. The immunogenicity and safety of TcdA and TcdB inactivated by MCO and combined with a novel carbohydrate fatty acid monosulphate ester-based (CMS) adjuvant were investigated in rabbits. Two or three intramuscular immunizations generated high serum IgG and neutralizing antibody titers against both toxins. The CMS adjuvant increased antibody responses to both toxins while an alum adjuvant control was effective only against TcdA. Systemic safety was evaluated by monitoring body weight, body temperature, and analysis of red and white blood cell counts shortly after immunization. Local safety was assessed by histopathologic examination of the injection site at the end of the study. Body weight gain was constant in all groups. Body temperature increased up to 1 ˚C one day after the first immunization but less after the second or third immunization. White blood cell counts, and percentage of neutrophils increased one day after immunization with CMS-adjuvanted vaccines, but not with alum. Histopathology of the injection sites 42 days after the last injection did not reveal any abnormal tissue reactions. From this study, we conclude that TcdA and TcdB inactivated by MCO and combined with CMS adjuvant demonstrated promising immunogenicity and safety in rabbits and could be a candidate for a vaccine against CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aria Aminzadeh
- Proxi Biotech ApS, Egeskellet 6, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark; Department of Science and Environment, University of Roskilde, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Luuk Hilgers
- LiteVax BV, Akkersestraat 50, 4061BJ Ophemert, the Netherlands
| | | | - Mickaël Riou
- INRAE, UE-1277 Plateforme d'Infectiologie expérimentale (PFIE), Centre Val de Loire, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Noémie Perrot
- INRAE, UE-1277 Plateforme d'Infectiologie expérimentale (PFIE), Centre Val de Loire, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Christelle Rossignol
- INRAE-Université de Tours, UMR-1282 Infectiologie et Santé publique (ISP), équipe IMI, Centre Val de Loire, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Axel Cauty
- INRAE, UE-1277 Plateforme d'Infectiologie expérimentale (PFIE), Centre Val de Loire, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Céline Barc
- INRAE, UE-1277 Plateforme d'Infectiologie expérimentale (PFIE), Centre Val de Loire, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - René Jørgensen
- Proxi Biotech ApS, Egeskellet 6, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark; Department of Science and Environment, University of Roskilde, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
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Fettucciari K, Spaterna A, Marconi P, Bassotti G. Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines Enhanced In Vitro Cytotoxic Activity of Clostridioides difficile Toxin B in Enteric Glial Cells: The Achilles Heel of Clostridioides difficile Infection? Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:958. [PMID: 38256032 PMCID: PMC10815653 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial infections are characterized by an inflammatory response, which is essential for infection containment but is also responsible for negative effects on the host. The pathogen itself may have evolved molecular mechanisms to antagonize the antimicrobial effects of an inflammatory response and to enhance its pathogenicity using inflammatory response mediators, such as cytokines. Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection (CDI) causes gastrointestinal diseases with markedly increasing global incidence and mortality rates. The main C. difficile virulence factors, toxin A and B (TcdA/TcdB), cause cytopathic/cytotoxic effects and inflammation. We previously demonstrated that TcdB induces enteric glial cell (EGC) apoptosis, which is enhanced by the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha plus interferon gamma (CKs). However, it is unknown whether CKs-enhanced TcdB cytotoxicity (apoptosis/necrosis) is affected by the timing of the appearance of the CKs. Thus, we simulated in vitro, in our experimental model with TcdB and EGCs, three main situations of possible interactions between TcdB and the timing of CK stimulation: before TcdB infection, concomitantly with infection, or at different times after infection and persisting over time. In these experimental conditions, which all represent situations of possible interactions between C. difficile and the timing of CK stimulation, we evaluated apoptosis, necrosis, and cell cycle phases. The CKs, in all of these conditions, enhanced TcdB cytotoxicity, which from apoptosis became necrosis when CK stimulation persisted over time, and was most relevant after 48 h of TcdB:EGCs interaction. Particularly, the enhancement of apoptosis by CKs was dependent on the TcdB dose and in a less relevant manner on the CK stimulation time, while the enhancement of necrosis occurred always independently of the TcdB dose and CK stimulation time. However, since in all conditions stimulation with CKs strongly enhanced the TcdB cytotoxicity, it always had a negative impact on C. difficile pathogenicity. This study might have important implications for the treatment of CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Fettucciari
- Biosciences & Medical Embryology Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Andrea Spaterna
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62024 Macerata, Italy
| | - Pierfrancesco Marconi
- Biosciences & Medical Embryology Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Gabrio Bassotti
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Digestive Endoscopy Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy;
- Gastroenterology & Hepatology Unit, Santa Maria Della Misericordia Hospital, 06129 Perugia, Italy
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11
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Campidelli C, Bruxelle JF, Collignon A, Péchiné S. Immunization Strategies Against Clostridioides difficile. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1435:117-150. [PMID: 38175474 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-42108-2_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection (CDI) is an important healthcare but also a community-associated disease. CDI is considered a public health threat and an economic burden. A major problem is the high rate of recurrences. Besides classical antibiotic treatments, new therapeutic strategies are needed to prevent infection, to treat patients, and to prevent recurrences. If fecal transplantation has been recommended to treat recurrences, another key approach is to elicit immunity against C. difficile and its virulence factors. Here, after a summary concerning the virulence factors, the host immune response against C. difficile, and its role in the outcome of disease, we review the different approaches of passive immunotherapies and vaccines developed against CDI. Passive immunization strategies are designed in function of the target antigen, the antibody-based product, and its administration route. Similarly, for active immunization strategies, vaccine antigens can target toxins or surface proteins, and immunization can be performed by parenteral or mucosal routes. For passive immunization and vaccination as well, we first present immunization assays performed in animal models and second in humans and associated clinical trials. The different studies are presented according to the mode of administration either parenteral or mucosal and the target antigens and either toxins or colonization factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Campidelli
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Jean-François Bruxelle
- CIRI-Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm U1111, CNRS UMR5308, ENS Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Anne Collignon
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Severine Péchiné
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
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12
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Buddle JE, Fagan RP. Pathogenicity and virulence of Clostridioides difficile. Virulence 2023; 14:2150452. [PMID: 36419222 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2150452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is the most common cause of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and is responsible for a spectrum of diseases characterized by high levels of recurrence, morbidity, and mortality. Treatment is complex, since antibiotics constitute both the main treatment and the major risk factor for infection. Worryingly, resistance to multiple antibiotics is becoming increasingly widespread, leading to the classification of this pathogen as an urgent threat to global health. As a consummate opportunist, C. difficile is well equipped for promoting disease, owing to its arsenal of virulence factors: transmission of this anaerobe is highly efficient due to the formation of robust endospores, and an array of adhesins promote gut colonization. C. difficile produces multiple toxins acting upon gut epithelia, resulting in manifestations typical of diarrheal disease, and severe inflammation in a subset of patients. This review focuses on such virulence factors, as well as the importance of antimicrobial resistance and genome plasticity in enabling pathogenesis and persistence of this important pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E Buddle
- Molecular Microbiology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Robert P Fagan
- Molecular Microbiology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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13
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Childress KO, Cencer CS, Tyska MJ, Lacy DB. Nectin-3 and shed forms of CSPG4 can serve as epithelial cell receptors for Clostridioides difficile TcdB. mBio 2023; 14:e0185723. [PMID: 37747247 PMCID: PMC10653914 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01857-23] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Toxin B (TcdB) is a major virulence factor of Clostridioides difficile, a Gram-positive pathogen that is a leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea. While previous studies have established that TcdB can engage multiple cell surface receptors in vitro, little is known about how these interactions promote disease and where these receptors localize on colonic tissue. Here, we used immunofluorescence microscopy to visualize Nectin-3 and CSPG4 on tissue, revealing unexpected localization of both receptors on colonic epithelial cells. We show that Nectin-3, which was previously characterized as an adherens junction protein, is also localized to the brush border of colonocytes. Staining for CSPG4 revealed that it is present along epithelial cell junctions, suggesting that it is shed by fibroblasts along the crypt-surface axis. Collectively, our study provides new insights into how TcdB can gain access to the receptors Nectin-3 and CSPG4 to intoxicate colonic epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin O. Childress
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Caroline S. Cencer
- Department of Cell and Development Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Matthew J. Tyska
- Department of Cell and Development Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - D. Borden Lacy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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14
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Manion J, Musser MA, Kuziel GA, Liu M, Shepherd A, Wang S, Lee PG, Zhao L, Zhang J, Marreddy RKR, Goldsmith JD, Yuan K, Hurdle JG, Gerhard R, Jin R, Rakoff-Nahoum S, Rao M, Dong M. C. difficile intoxicates neurons and pericytes to drive neurogenic inflammation. Nature 2023; 622:611-618. [PMID: 37699522 PMCID: PMC11188852 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06607-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a major cause of healthcare-associated gastrointestinal infections1,2. The exaggerated colonic inflammation caused by C. difficile toxins such as toxin B (TcdB) damages tissues and promotes C. difficile colonization3-6, but how TcdB causes inflammation is unclear. Here we report that TcdB induces neurogenic inflammation by targeting gut-innervating afferent neurons and pericytes through receptors, including the Frizzled receptors (FZD1, FZD2 and FZD7) in neurons and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) in pericytes. TcdB stimulates the secretion of the neuropeptides substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) from neurons and pro-inflammatory cytokines from pericytes. Targeted delivery of the TcdB enzymatic domain, through fusion with a detoxified diphtheria toxin, into peptidergic sensory neurons that express exogeneous diphtheria toxin receptor (an approach we term toxogenetics) is sufficient to induce neurogenic inflammation and recapitulates major colonic histopathology associated with CDI. Conversely, mice lacking SP, CGRP or the SP receptor (neurokinin 1 receptor) show reduced pathology in both models of caecal TcdB injection and CDI. Blocking SP or CGRP signalling reduces tissue damage and C. difficile burden in mice infected with a standard C. difficile strain or with hypervirulent strains expressing the TcdB2 variant. Thus, targeting neurogenic inflammation provides a host-oriented therapeutic approach for treating CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Manion
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Melissa A Musser
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gavin A Kuziel
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amy Shepherd
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Siyu Wang
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pyung-Gang Lee
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leo Zhao
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ravi K R Marreddy
- Center for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Ke Yuan
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Julian G Hurdle
- Center for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ralf Gerhard
- Institute of Toxicology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Rongsheng Jin
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Seth Rakoff-Nahoum
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Meenakshi Rao
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Min Dong
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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15
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Liu J, Zhu W, Lessing DJ, Chu W. Synthetic microbial consortia for the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection in mice model. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:1985-2006. [PMID: 37602713 PMCID: PMC10527189 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) as of recent has become a great concern to the impact on human health due to its high hazardous risk and rate of recurrence. Live bacterial therapeutics is a promising method to treat or prevent CDI. Here, a synthetic microbial consortia (SMC) B10 was constructed using probiotic strains with antibacterial and anti-quorum sensing activities, and the therapeutic effect of SMC B10 against C. difficile infection was evaluated in vitro. Compared to the model group, the treatment of SMC B10 significantly increased the survival rate. The clinical signs of mice were significantly ameliorated, especially the cecum injury, while the secretion of pro-inflammatory associated cytokines such as IL-1α, IL-6, IL-17A and TNF-α was reduced, the expression of TLR4 was inhibited, which alleviated the inflammatory response, and the expression of the tight junction protein Claudin-1 was increased, ultimately promoting the recovery of host health. The treatment of B10 restored gut microbiota dysbiosis and led to a healthy intestinal microbiota structure, significantly improved alpha diversity, suppressing potentially harmful bacteria and restoring other core bacterial species. In conclusion, SMC B10 can effectively treat CDI through modulate gut microbiota and attenuate the inflammatory response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinqiu Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, School of Life Science and TechnologyChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Wei Zhu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, School of Life Science and TechnologyChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Duncan James Lessing
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, School of Life Science and TechnologyChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Weihua Chu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, School of Life Science and TechnologyChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjingChina
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjingChina
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16
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Dong Q, Lin H, Allen MM, Garneau JR, Sia JK, Smith RC, Haro F, McMillen T, Pope RL, Metcalfe C, Burgo V, Woodson C, Dylla N, Kohout C, Sundararajan A, Snitkin ES, Young VB, Fortier LC, Kamboj M, Pamer EG. Virulence and genomic diversity among clinical isolates of ST1 (BI/NAP1/027) Clostridioides difficile. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112861. [PMID: 37523264 PMCID: PMC10627504 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile produces toxins that damage the colonic epithelium, causing colitis. Variation in disease severity is poorly understood and has been attributed to host factors and virulence differences between C. difficile strains. We test 23 epidemic ST1 C. difficile clinical isolates for their virulence in mice. All isolates encode a complete Tcd pathogenicity locus and achieve similar colonization densities. However, disease severity varies from lethal to avirulent infections. Genomic analysis of avirulent isolates reveals a 69-bp deletion in the cdtR gene, which encodes a response regulator for binary toxin expression. Deleting the 69-bp sequence in virulent R20291 strain renders it avirulent in mice with reduced toxin gene transcription. Our study demonstrates that a natural deletion within cdtR attenuates virulence in the epidemic ST1 C. difficile isolates without reducing colonization and persistence. Distinguishing strains on the basis of cdtR may enhance the specificity of diagnostic tests for C. difficile colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiwen Dong
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Huaiying Lin
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Marie-Maude Allen
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Julian R Garneau
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Jonathan K Sia
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rita C Smith
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Fidel Haro
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Tracy McMillen
- Infection Control, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rosemary L Pope
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Carolyn Metcalfe
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Victoria Burgo
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Che Woodson
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Nicholas Dylla
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Claire Kohout
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | | | - Evan S Snitkin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Vincent B Young
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Louis-Charles Fortier
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Mini Kamboj
- Infection Control, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Eric G Pamer
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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17
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Murphy CK, O’Donnell MM, Hegarty JW, Schulz S, Hill C, Ross RP, Rea MC, Farquhar R, Chesnel L. Novel, non-colonizing, single-strain live biotherapeutic product ADS024 protects against Clostridioides difficile infection challenge in vivo. World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol 2023; 14:71-85. [PMID: 37727283 PMCID: PMC10505952 DOI: 10.4291/wjgp.v14.i4.71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) causes half a million infections (CDI) annually and is a major cause of total infectious disease death in the United States, causing inflammation of the colon and potentially deadly diarrhea. We recently reported the isolation of ADS024, a Bacillus velezensis (B. velezensis) strain, which demonstrated direct in vitro bactericidal activity against C. difficile, with minimal collateral impact on other members of the gut microbiota. In this study, we hypothesized that in vitro activities of ADS024 will translate in vivo to protect against CDI challenge in mouse models. AIM To investigate the in vivo efficacy of B. velezensis ADS024 in protecting against CDI challenge in mouse models. METHODS To mimic disruption of the gut microbiota, the mice were exposed to vancomycin prior to dosing with ADS024. For the mouse single-dose study, the recovery of ADS024 was assessed via microbiological analysis of intestinal and fecal samples at 4 h, 8 h, and 24 h after a single oral dose of 5 × 108 colony-forming units (CFU)/mouse of freshly grown ADS024. The single-dose study in miniature swine included groups that had been pre-dosed with vancomycin and that had been exposed to a dose range of ADS024, and a group that was not pre-dosed with vancomycin and received a single dose of ADS024. The ADS024 colonies [assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) using ADS024-specific primers] were counted on agar plates. For the 28-d miniature swine study, qPCR was used to measure ADS024 levels from fecal samples after oral administration of ADS024 capsules containing 5 × 109 CFU for 28 consecutive days, followed by MiSeq compositional sequencing and bioinformatic analyses to measure the impact of ADS024 on microbiota. Two studies were performed to determine the efficacy of ADS024 in a mouse model of CDI: Study 1 to determine the effects of fresh ADS024 culture and ADS024 spore preparations on the clinical manifestations of CDI in mice, and Study 2 to compare the efficacy of single daily doses vs dosing 3 times per day with fresh ADS024. C. difficile challenge was performed 24 h after the start of ADS024 exposure. To model the human distal colon, an anerobic fecal fermentation system was used. MiSeq compositional sequencing and bioinformatic analyses were performed to measure microbiota diversity changes following ADS024 treatment. To assess the potential of ADS024 to be a source of antibiotic resistance, its susceptibility to 18 different antibiotics was tested. RESULTS In a mouse model of CDI challenge, single daily doses of ADS024 were as efficacious as multiple daily doses in protecting against subsequent challenge by C. difficile pathogen-induced disease. ADS024 showed no evidence of colonization based on the observation that the ADS024 colonies were not recovered 24 h after single doses in mice or 72 h after single doses in miniature swine. In a 28-d repeat-dose study in miniature swine, ADS024 was not detected in fecal samples using plating and qPCR methods. Phylogenetic analysis performed in the human distal colon model showed that ADS024 had a selective impact on the healthy human colonic microbiota, similarly to the in vivo studies performed in miniature swine. Safety assessments indicated that ADS024 was susceptible to all the antibiotics tested, while in silico testing revealed a low potential for off-target activity or virulence and antibiotic-resistance mechanisms. CONCLUSION Our findings, demonstrating in vivo efficacy of ADS024 in protecting against CDI challenge in mouse models, support the use of ADS024 in preventing recurrent CDI following standard antibiotic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher K Murphy
- Research and Development, Adiso Therapeutics Inc., Concord, MA 01742, United States
| | | | - James W Hegarty
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark Fermoy, Cork P61 C996, Ireland
| | - Sarah Schulz
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 K8AF, Ireland
| | - Colin Hill
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 K8AF, Ireland
| | - R Paul Ross
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 K8AF, Ireland
| | - Mary C Rea
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark Fermoy, Cork P61 C996, Ireland
| | - Ronald Farquhar
- Executive Leadership Team, Adiso Therapeutics Inc., Concord, MA 01742, United States
| | - Laurent Chesnel
- Research and Development, Adiso Therapeutics Inc., Concord, MA 01742, United States
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18
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Stămăteanu LO, Miftode IL, Pleșca CE, Dorneanu OS, Roșu MF, Miftode ID, Obreja M, Miftode EG. Symptoms, Treatment, and Outcomes of COVID-19 Patients Coinfected with Clostridioides difficile: Single-Center Study from NE Romania during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1091. [PMID: 37508187 PMCID: PMC10375993 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12071091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought new challenges across medical disciplines, particularly in infectious disease medicine. In Romania, the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection increased dramatically since March 2020 until March 2022. Antibiotic administration for pulmonary superinfections in COVID-19 intensified and, consequently, increased rates of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) were hypothesized. We conducted a single-center, retrospective, observational study on patients from North-Eastern Romania to assess clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 and Clostridioides difficile (CD) coinfection, and to identify risk factors for CDI in COVID-19 patients. The study enrolled eighty-six CDI and COVID-19 coinfected patients admitted during March 2020-February 2021 (mean age 59.14 years, 53.49% men, 67.44% urban residents) and a group of eighty-six COVID-19 patients. On admission, symptoms were more severe in mono-infected patients, while coinfected patients associated a more intense acute inflammatory syndrome. The main risk factors for severe COVID-19 were smoking, diabetes mellitus, and antibiotic administration. Third generation cephalosporins (55%) and carbapenems (24%) were the main antibiotics used, and carbapenems were significantly associated with severe COVID-19 in patients coinfected with CD during hospitalization. Coinfection resulted in longer hospitalization and poorer outcomes. The extensive use of antibiotics in COVID-19, particularly carbapenems, contributed substantially to CD coinfection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Oana Stămăteanu
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Gr. T. Popa, 700115 Iași, Romania
- "St. Parascheva" Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iași, Romania
| | - Ionela Larisa Miftode
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Gr. T. Popa, 700115 Iași, Romania
- "St. Parascheva" Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iași, Romania
| | - Claudia Elena Pleșca
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Gr. T. Popa, 700115 Iași, Romania
- "St. Parascheva" Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iași, Romania
| | - Olivia Simona Dorneanu
- "St. Parascheva" Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iași, Romania
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Interdisciplinarity, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Gr. T. Popa, 700115 Iași, Romania
| | - Manuel Florin Roșu
- "St. Parascheva" Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iași, Romania
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital, 700115 Iași, Romania
| | - Ioana Diandra Miftode
- Department of Radiology, "St. Spiridon" Emergency Clinical Hospital, 700111 Iași, Romania
| | - Maria Obreja
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Gr. T. Popa, 700115 Iași, Romania
- "St. Parascheva" Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iași, Romania
| | - Egidia Gabriela Miftode
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Gr. T. Popa, 700115 Iași, Romania
- "St. Parascheva" Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iași, Romania
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19
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Naz F, Petri WA. Host Immunity and Immunization Strategies for Clostridioides difficile Infection. Clin Microbiol Rev 2023; 36:e0015722. [PMID: 37162338 PMCID: PMC10283484 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00157-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) represents a significant challenge to public health. C. difficile-associated mortality and morbidity have led the U.S. CDC to designate it as an urgent threat. Moreover, recurrence or relapses can occur in up to a third of CDI patients, due in part to antibiotics being the primary treatment for CDI and the major cause of the disease. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of innate immune responses, adaptive immune responses, and the link between innate and adaptive immune responses of the host against CDI. The other major determinants of CDI, such as C. difficile toxins, the host microbiota, and related treatments, are also described. Finally, we discuss the known therapeutic approaches and the current status of immunization strategies for CDI, which might help to bridge the knowledge gap in the generation of therapy against CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farha Naz
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - William A. Petri
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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20
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Yang Z, Qin J, Zhao L, Chen T, Huang Q, Jian Y, Zhao Q, Yang S, Li Q, Liu Q, Otto M, Li M. Host Sorbitol and Bacterial Sorbitol Utilization Promote Clostridioides difficile Infection in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Gastroenterology 2023; 164:1189-1201.e13. [PMID: 36898551 PMCID: PMC10200761 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.02.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a widespread gastrointestinal inflammatory disorder with globally increasing incidence. Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) often occurs in patients with intestinal dysbiosis, such as after antibiotic therapy. Patients with IBD have increased incidence of CDI and the clinical outcome of IBD is reportedly worsened by CDI. However, the underlying reasons remain poorly understood. METHODS We performed a retrospective single-center and a prospective multicenter analysis of CDI in patients with IBD, including genetic typing of C difficile isolates. Furthermore, we performed a CDI mouse model to analyze the role of the sorbitol metabolization locus that we found distinguished the main IBD- and non-IBD-associated sequence types (STs). Moreover, we analyzed sorbitol concentration in the feces of patients with IBD and healthy individuals. RESULTS We detected a significant association of specific lineages with IBD, particularly increased abundance of ST54. We found that in contrast to the otherwise clinically predominant ST81, ST54 harbors a sorbitol metabolization locus and was able to metabolize sorbitol in vitro and in vivo. Notably, in the mouse model, ST54 pathogenesis was dependent on intestinal inflammation-induced conditions and the presence of sorbitol. Furthermore, we detected significantly increased sorbitol concentrations in the feces of patients with active IBD vs patients in remission or healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS Sorbitol and sorbitol utilization in the infecting C difficile strain play major roles for the pathogenesis and epidemiology of CDI in patients with IBD. CDI in patients with IBD may thus be avoided or improved by elimination of dietary sorbitol or suppression of host-derived sorbitol production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Juanxiu Qin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lina Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianchi Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Jian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Qingdao University Medicine College Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, China
| | - Sheng Yang
- Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China; Huzhou Center of Industrial Biotechnology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huzhou, China
| | - Qi Li
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Michael Otto
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, The National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | - Min Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Science and Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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21
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Dang Y, Ma C, Chen K, Chen Y, Jiang M, Hu K, Li L, Zeng Z, Zhang H. The Effects of a High-Fat Diet on Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Biomolecules 2023; 13:905. [PMID: 37371485 DOI: 10.3390/biom13060905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The interactions among diet, intestinal immunity, and microbiota are complex and play contradictory roles in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). An increasing number of studies has shed light on this field. The intestinal immune balance is disrupted by a high-fat diet (HFD) in several ways, such as impairing the intestinal barrier, influencing immune cells, and altering the gut microbiota. In contrast, a rational diet is thought to maintain intestinal immunity by regulating gut microbiota. In this review, we emphasize the crucial contributions made by an HFD to the gut immune system and microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Dang
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Chunxiang Ma
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Kexin Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yiding Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Mingshan Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Kehan Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lili Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhen Zeng
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hu Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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22
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Icho S, Ward JS, Tam J, Kociolek LK, Theriot CM, Melnyk RA. Intestinal bile acids provide a surmountable barrier against C. difficile TcdB-induced disease pathogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2301252120. [PMID: 37126691 PMCID: PMC10175849 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301252120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Intestinal bile acids play an essential role in the Clostridioides difficile lifecycle having been shown in vitro to modulate various aspects of pathogenesis, including spore germination, vegetative growth, and more recently the action of the primary virulence determinant, TcdB. Here, we investigated whether physiological levels of the total pool of intestinal bile acids in mice and humans protect against TcdB action. Small molecules extracted from the lumenal contents of the small intestine, cecum, colon, and feces were found to inhibit TcdB in accordance with the differential amounts of total bile acids in each compartment. Extracts from antibiotic-treated and germ-free mice, despite harboring dramatically altered bile acid profiles, unexpectedly also prevented TcdB-induced cell rounding to similar extents. We show that protection, however, is surmountable and can be overcome at higher doses of TcdB-typical to those seen during severe C. difficile infection-suggesting that the protective properties of intestinal bile acids are operant primarily under low to moderate toxin levels. Taken together, these findings demonstrate a role for intestinal bile acids in attenuating virulence, provide insights into asymptomatic carriage of toxigenic C. difficile, and inform strategies to manipulate bile acid levels for therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simoun Icho
- Molecular Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ONM5G 0A4
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8
| | - Jennifer S. Ward
- Molecular Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ONM5G 0A4
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8
| | - John Tam
- Molecular Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ONM5G 0A4
| | - Larry K. Kociolek
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie, Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL60611
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
| | - Casey M. Theriot
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC27606
| | - Roman A. Melnyk
- Molecular Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ONM5G 0A4
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8
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23
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Heuler J, Chandra H, Sun X. Mucosal Vaccination Strategies against Clostridioides difficile Infection. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11050887. [PMID: 37242991 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11050887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) presents a major public health threat by causing frequently recurrent, life-threatening cases of diarrhea and intestinal inflammation. The ability of C. difficile to express antibiotic resistance and to form long-lasting spores makes the pathogen particularly challenging to eradicate from healthcare settings, raising the need for preventative measures to curb the spread of CDI. Since C. difficile utilizes the fecal-oral route of transmission, a mucosal vaccine could be a particularly promising strategy by generating strong IgA and IgG responses that prevent colonization and disease. This mini-review summarizes the progress toward mucosal vaccines against C. difficile toxins, cell-surface components, and spore proteins. By assessing the strengths and weaknesses of particular antigens, as well as methods for delivering these antigens to mucosal sites, we hope to guide future research toward an effective mucosal vaccine against CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Heuler
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Harish Chandra
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Xingmin Sun
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
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24
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Rogers AP, Mileto SJ, Lyras D. Impact of enteric bacterial infections at and beyond the epithelial barrier. Nat Rev Microbiol 2023; 21:260-274. [PMID: 36175770 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-022-00794-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The mucosal lining of the gut has co-evolved with a diverse microbiota over millions of years, leading to the development of specialized mechanisms to actively limit the invasion of pathogens. However, some enteric microorganisms have adapted against these measures, developing ways to hijack or overcome epithelial micro-integrity mechanisms. This breach of the gut barrier not only enables the leakage of host factors out of circulation but can also initiate a cascade of detrimental systemic events as microbiota, pathogens and their affiliated secretions passively leak into extra-intestinal sites. Under normal circumstances, gut damage is rapidly repaired by intestinal stem cells. However, with substantial and deep perturbation to the gut lining and the systemic dissemination of gut contents, we now know that some enteric infections can cause the impairment of host regenerative processes. Although these local and systemic aspects of enteric disease are often studied in isolation, they heavily impact one another. In this Review, by examining the journey of enteric infections from initial establishment to systemic sequelae and how, or if, the host can successfully repair damage, we will tie together these complex interactions to provide a holistic overview of the impact of enteric infections at and beyond the epithelial barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh P Rogers
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Steven J Mileto
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dena Lyras
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. .,Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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25
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Hu C, Garey KW. Nonmammalian models to study Clostridioides difficile infection; a systematic review. Anaerobe 2023; 79:102694. [PMID: 36626950 PMCID: PMC9975065 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2023.102694] [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: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Clostridioide difficile is the leading cause of diarrhea disease worldwide and is a CDC-designated urgent threat level pathogen. Mammalian models are commonly utilized as gold standard to study the pathogenesis of C. difficile infection (CDI); however, alternatives are needed due to cost, higher throughput ability, and mammalian animal ethics. Nonmammalian models such as great wax worm, nematode, fruit fly, and zebrafish have been used as CDI models. This review provides a comprehensive summary of nonmammalian models used to study CDI. Multiple studies were identified using these models to study C. difficile infection, pathogenicity, colonization, host immunity, and therapy. Translational outcomes and strength and weakness of each nonmammalian model are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenlin Hu
- University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, TX, 77204, USA
| | - Kevin W Garey
- University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, TX, 77204, USA.
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26
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Dong Q, Lin H, Allen MM, Garneau JR, Sia JK, Smith RC, Haro F, McMillen T, Pope RL, Metcalfe C, Burgo V, Woodson C, Dylla N, Kohout C, Sundararajan A, Snitkin ES, Young VB, Fortier LC, Kamboj M, Pamer EG. Virulence and genomic diversity among clinical isolates of ST1 (BI/NAP1/027) Clostridioides difficile. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.12.523823. [PMID: 36711955 PMCID: PMC9882218 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.12.523823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) , a leading cause of nosocomial infection, produces toxins that damage the colonic epithelium and results in colitis that varies from mild to fulminant. Variation in disease severity is poorly understood and has been attributed to host factors (age, immune competence and intestinal microbiome composition) and/or virulence differences between C. difficile strains, with some, such as the epidemic BI/NAP1/027 (MLST1) strain, being associated with greater virulence. We tested 23 MLST1(ST1) C. difficile clinical isolates for virulence in antibiotic-treated C57BL/6 mice. All isolates encoded a complete Tcd pathogenicity locus and achieved similar colonization densities in mice. Disease severity varied, however, with 5 isolates causing lethal infections, 16 isolates causing a range of moderate infections and 2 isolates resulting in no detectable disease. The avirulent ST1 isolates did not cause disease in highly susceptible Myd88 -/- or germ-free mice. Genomic analysis of the avirulent isolates revealed a 69 base-pair deletion in the N-terminus of the cdtR gene, which encodes a response regulator for binary toxin (CDT) expression. Genetic deletion of the 69 base-pair cdtR sequence in the highly virulent ST1 R20291 C. difficile strain rendered it avirulent and reduced toxin gene transcription in cecal contents. Our study demonstrates that a natural deletion within cdtR attenuates virulence in the epidemic ST1 C. difficile strain without reducing colonization and persistence in the gut. Distinguishing strains on the basis of cdtR may enhance the specificity of diagnostic tests for C. difficile colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiwen Dong
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Huaiying Lin
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Marie-Maude Allen
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Julian R. Garneau
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jonathan K. Sia
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Rita C. Smith
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Fidel Haro
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Tracy McMillen
- Infection Control, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Rosemary L. Pope
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Carolyn Metcalfe
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Victoria Burgo
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Che Woodson
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Nicholas Dylla
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Claire Kohout
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Evan S Snitkin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Vincent B. Young
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Louis-Charles Fortier
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mini Kamboj
- Infection Control, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Eric G. Pamer
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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27
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Peritore-Galve FC, Kaji I, Smith A, Walker LM, Shupe JA, Washington MK, Algood HMS, Dudeja PK, Goldenring JR, Lacy DB. Increased intestinal permeability and downregulation of absorptive ion transporters Nhe3, Dra, and Sglt1 contribute to diarrhea during Clostridioides difficile infection. Gut Microbes 2023; 15:2225841. [PMID: 37350393 PMCID: PMC10291935 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2225841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIM Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. Two protein toxins, TcdA and TcdB, produced by C. difficile are the major determinants of disease. However, the pathophysiological causes of diarrhea during CDI are not well understood. Here, we investigated the effects of C. difficile toxins on paracellular permeability and apical ion transporters in the context of an acute physiological infection. METHODS We studied intestinal permeability and apical membrane transporters in female C57BL/6J mice. Üssing chambers were used to measure paracellular permeability and ion transporter function across the intestinal tract. Infected intestinal tissues were analyzed by immunofluorescence microscopy and RNA-sequencing to uncover mechanisms of transporter dysregulation. RESULTS Intestinal permeability was increased through the size-selective leak pathway in vivo during acute CDI in a 2-day-post infection model. Chloride secretory activity was reduced in the cecum and distal colon during infection by decreased CaCC and CFTR function, respectively. SGLT1 activity was significantly reduced in the cecum and colon, accompanied by ablated SGLT1 expression in colonocytes and increased luminal glucose concentrations. SGLT1 and DRA expression was ablated by either TcdA or TcdB during acute infection, but NHE3 was decreased in a TcdB-dependent manner. The localization of key proteins that link filamentous actin to the ion transporters in the apical plasma membrane was unchanged. However, Sglt1, Nhe3, and Dra were drastically reduced at the transcript level, implicating downregulation of ion transporters in the mechanism of diarrhea during CDI. CONCLUSIONS CDI increases intestinal permeability and decreases apical abundance of NHE3, SGLT1, and DRA. This combination likely leads to dysfunctional water and solute absorption in the large bowel, causing osmotic diarrhea. These findings provide insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying diarrhea and may open novel avenues for attenuating CDI-associated diarrhea.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Christopher Peritore-Galve
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Izumi Kaji
- Section of Surgical Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Anna Smith
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lauren M. Walker
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - John A. Shupe
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - M. Kay Washington
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Holly M. Scott Algood
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Pradeep K. Dudeja
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - James R. Goldenring
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Section of Surgical Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, TN, USA
- Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - D. Borden Lacy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, TN, USA
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28
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Tian S, Xiong X, Zeng J, Wang S, Tremblay BJM, Chen P, Chen B, Liu M, Chen P, Sheng K, Zeve D, Qi W, Breault DT, Rodríguez C, Gerhard R, Jin R, Doxey AC, Dong M. Identification of TFPI as a receptor reveals recombination-driven receptor switching in Clostridioides difficile toxin B variants. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6786. [PMID: 36351897 PMCID: PMC9646764 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33964-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxin B (TcdB) is a major exotoxin responsible for diseases associated with Clostridioides difficile infection. Its sequence variations among clinical isolates may contribute to the difficulty in developing effective therapeutics. Here, we investigate receptor-binding specificity of major TcdB subtypes (TcdB1 to TcdB12). We find that representative members of subtypes 2, 4, 7, 10, 11, and 12 do not recognize the established host receptor, frizzled proteins (FZDs). Using a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9-mediated screen, we identify tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) as a host receptor for TcdB4. TFPI is recognized by a region in TcdB4 that is homologous to the FZD-binding site in TcdB1. Analysis of 206 TcdB variant sequences reveals a set of six residues within this receptor-binding site that defines a TFPI binding-associated haplotype (designated B4/B7) that is present in all TcdB4 members, a subset of TcdB7, and one member of TcdB2. Intragenic micro-recombination (IR) events have occurred around this receptor-binding region in TcdB7 and TcdB2 members, resulting in either TFPI- or FZD-binding capabilities. Introduction of B4/B7-haplotype residues into TcdB1 enables dual recognition of TFPI and FZDs. Finally, TcdB10 also recognizes TFPI, although it does not belong to the B4/B7 haplotype, and shows species selectivity: it recognizes TFPI of chicken and to a lesser degree mouse, but not human, dog, or cattle versions. These findings identify TFPI as a TcdB receptor and reveal IR-driven changes on receptor-specificity among TcdB variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songhai Tian
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Xiaozhe Xiong
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ji Zeng
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Siyu Wang
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China
| | - Benjamin Jean-Marie Tremblay
- Department of Biology, Cheriton School of Computer Science, and Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Baohua Chen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Pengsheng Chen
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kuanwei Sheng
- Wyss Institute for Bioinspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Daniel Zeve
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Wanshu Qi
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - David T Breault
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, 7 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - César Rodríguez
- Faculty of Microbiology & CIET, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Ralf Gerhard
- Institute of Toxicology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Rongsheng Jin
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Andrew C Doxey
- Department of Biology, Cheriton School of Computer Science, and Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Min Dong
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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29
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Enterococci enhance Clostridioides difficile pathogenesis. Nature 2022; 611:780-786. [PMID: 36385534 PMCID: PMC9691601 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05438-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Enteric pathogens are exposed to a dynamic polymicrobial environment in the gastrointestinal tract1. This microbial community has been shown to be important during infection, but there are few examples illustrating how microbial interactions can influence the virulence of invading pathogens2. Here we show that expansion of a group of antibiotic-resistant, opportunistic pathogens in the gut-the enterococci-enhances the fitness and pathogenesis of Clostridioides difficile. Through a parallel process of nutrient restriction and cross-feeding, enterococci shape the metabolic environment in the gut and reprogramme C. difficile metabolism. Enterococci provide fermentable amino acids, including leucine and ornithine, which increase C. difficile fitness in the antibiotic-perturbed gut. Parallel depletion of arginine by enterococci through arginine catabolism provides a metabolic cue for C. difficile that facilitates increased virulence. We find evidence of microbial interaction between these two pathogenic organisms in multiple mouse models of infection and patients infected with C. difficile. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the role of pathogenic microbiota in the susceptibility to and the severity of C. difficile infection.
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30
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Blaskovich MAT, Hansford KA, Butler MS, Ramu S, Kavanagh AM, Jarrad AM, Prasetyoputri A, Pitt ME, Huang JX, Lindahl F, Ziora ZM, Bradford T, Muldoon C, Rajaratnam P, Pelingon R, Edwards DJ, Zhang B, Amado M, Elliott AG, Zuegg J, Coin L, Woischnig AK, Khanna N, Breidenstein E, Stincone A, Mason C, Khan N, Cho HK, Karau MJ, Greenwood-Quaintance KE, Patel R, Wootton M, James ML, Hutton ML, Lyras D, Ogunniyi AD, Mahdi LK, Trott DJ, Wu X, Niles S, Lewis K, Smith JR, Barber KE, Yim J, Rice SA, Rybak MJ, Ishmael CR, Hori KR, Bernthal NM, Francis KP, Roberts JA, Paterson DL, Cooper MA. A lipoglycopeptide antibiotic for Gram-positive biofilm-related infections. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabj2381. [DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abj2381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Drug-resistant Gram-positive bacterial infections are still a substantial burden on the public health system, with two bacteria (
Staphylococcus aureus
and
Streptococcus pneumoniae
) accounting for over 1.5 million drug-resistant infections in the United States alone in 2017. In 2019, 250,000 deaths were attributed to these pathogens globally. We have developed a preclinical glycopeptide antibiotic, MCC5145, that has excellent potency (MIC
90
≤ 0.06 μg/ml) against hundreds of isolates of methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) and other Gram-positive bacteria, with a greater than 1000-fold margin over mammalian cell cytotoxicity values. The antibiotic has therapeutic in vivo efficacy when dosed subcutaneously in multiple murine models of established bacterial infections, including thigh infection with MRSA and blood septicemia with
S. pneumoniae
, as well as when dosed orally in an antibiotic-induced
Clostridioides difficile
infection model. MCC5145 exhibited reduced nephrotoxicity at microbiologically active doses in mice compared to vancomycin. MCC5145 also showed improved activity against biofilms compared to vancomycin, both in vitro and in vivo, and a low propensity to select for drug resistance. Characterization of drug action using a transposon library bioinformatic platform showed a mechanistic distinction from other glycopeptide antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. T. Blaskovich
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Karl A. Hansford
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Mark S. Butler
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Soumya Ramu
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Angela M. Kavanagh
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Angie M. Jarrad
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Anggia Prasetyoputri
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Miranda E. Pitt
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Johnny X. Huang
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Fredrik Lindahl
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Zyta M. Ziora
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Tanya Bradford
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Craig Muldoon
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Premraj Rajaratnam
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Ruby Pelingon
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - David J. Edwards
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Bing Zhang
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Maite Amado
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alysha G. Elliott
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Johannes Zuegg
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Lachlan Coin
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Anne-Kathrin Woischnig
- University and University Hospital of Basel, Division of Infectious Diseases and Infection Biology Laboratory Department of Biomedicine, Hebelstrasse 20, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nina Khanna
- University and University Hospital of Basel, Division of Infectious Diseases and Infection Biology Laboratory Department of Biomedicine, Hebelstrasse 20, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Elena Breidenstein
- Summit Therapeutics, The Works, Unity Campus, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3FT, UK
| | - Anna Stincone
- Summit Therapeutics, The Works, Unity Campus, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3FT, UK
| | - Clive Mason
- Summit Therapeutics, The Works, Unity Campus, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3FT, UK
| | - Nawaz Khan
- Summit Therapeutics, The Works, Unity Campus, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3FT, UK
| | - Hye-Kyung Cho
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Melissa J. Karau
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Kerryl E. Greenwood-Quaintance
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Robin Patel
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases and Occupational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Mandy Wootton
- Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XW, Wales
| | - Meagan L. James
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Melanie L. Hutton
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Dena Lyras
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Abiodun D. Ogunniyi
- Australian Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia 5371, Australia
| | - Layla K. Mahdi
- Australian Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia 5371, Australia
| | - Darren J. Trott
- Australian Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia 5371, Australia
| | - Xiaoqian Wu
- Antimicrobial Discovery Center, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Samantha Niles
- Antimicrobial Discovery Center, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kim Lewis
- Antimicrobial Discovery Center, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jordan R. Smith
- Anti-Infective Research Laboratory, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Katie E. Barber
- Anti-Infective Research Laboratory, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Juwon Yim
- Anti-Infective Research Laboratory, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Seth Alan Rice
- Anti-Infective Research Laboratory, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Michael J. Rybak
- Anti-Infective Research Laboratory, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Chad R. Ishmael
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kellyn R. Hori
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Nicholas M. Bernthal
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kevin P. Francis
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- PerkinElmer, 68 Elm Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748, USA
| | - Jason A. Roberts
- University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4029, Australia
- Departments of Pharmacy and Intensive Care Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland 4029, Australia
- Division of Anaesthesiology Critical Care Emergency and Pain Medicine, Nîmes University Hospital, University of Montpellier, 30029 Nîmes, France
| | - David L. Paterson
- University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4029, Australia
| | - Matthew A. Cooper
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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31
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Mileto SJ, Hutton ML, Walton SL, Das A, Ioannidis LJ, Ketagoda D, Quinn KM, Denton KM, Hansen DS, Lyras D. Bezlotoxumab prevents extraintestinal organ damage induced by Clostridioides difficile infection. Gut Microbes 2022; 14:2117504. [PMID: 36045589 PMCID: PMC9450906 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2022.2117504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is the most common cause of infectious antibiotic-associated diarrhea, with disease mediated by two major toxins TcdA and TcdB. In severe cases, systemic disease complications may arise, resulting in fatal disease. Systemic disease in animal models has been described, with thymic damage an observable consequence of severe disease in mice. Using a mouse model of C. difficile infection, we examined this disease phenotype, focussing on the thymus and serum markers of systemic disease. The efficacy of bezlotoxumab, a monoclonal TcdB therapeutic, to prevent toxin mediated systemic disease complications was also examined. C. difficile infection causes toxin-dependent thymic damage and CD4+CD8+ thymocyte depletion in mice. These systemic complications coincide with changes in biochemical markers of liver and kidney function, including increased serum urea and creatinine, and hypoglycemia. Administration of bezlotoxumab during C. difficile infection prevents systemic disease and thymic atrophy, without blocking gut damage, suggesting the leakage of gut contents into circulation may influence systemic disease. As the thymus has such a crucial role in T cell production and immune system development, these findings may have important implications in relapse of C. difficile disease and impaired immunity during C. difficile infection. The prevention of thymic atrophy and reduced systemic response following bezlotoxumab treatment, without altering colonic damage, highlights the importance of systemic disease in C. difficile infection, and provides new insights into the mechanism of action for this therapeutic.Abbreviations: Acute kidney injury (AKI); Alanine Transaminase (ALT); Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST); C. difficile infection (CDI); chronic kidney disease (CKD); combined repetitive oligo-peptides (CROPS); cardiovascular disease (CVD); Double positive (DP); hematoxylin and eosin (H&E); immunohistochemical (IHC); multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS); phosphate buffered saline (PBS); standard error of the mean (SEM); surface layer proteins (SLP); Single positive (SP); wild-type (WT).
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J. Mileto
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Melanie L. Hutton
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Sarah L. Walton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Antariksh Das
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Lisa J. Ioannidis
- Walter and Eliza Hall Insitiute, Infectious Diseases and Immune Defence Division, Parkville, Australia,Department of Medical Biology, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Don Ketagoda
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Kylie M. Quinn
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia,RMIT University School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Chronic Inflammatory and Infectious Diseases Program, Bundoora, Australia
| | - Kate M. Denton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Diana S. Hansen
- Walter and Eliza Hall Insitiute, Infectious Diseases and Immune Defence Division, Parkville, Australia,Department of Medical Biology, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Dena Lyras
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia,CONTACT Dena Lyras Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, 19 Innovation Walk, Clayton, Victoria3800, Australia
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32
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Drewes JL, Chen J, Markham NO, Knippel RJ, Domingue JC, Tam AJ, Chan JL, Kim L, McMann M, Stevens C, Dejea CM, Tomkovich S, Michel J, White JR, Mohammad F, Campodónico VL, Heiser CN, Wu X, Wu S, Ding H, Simner P, Carroll K, Shrubsole MJ, Anders RA, Walk ST, Jobin C, Wan F, Coffey RJ, Housseau F, Lau KS, Sears CL. Human Colon Cancer-Derived Clostridioides difficile Strains Drive Colonic Tumorigenesis in Mice. Cancer Discov 2022; 12:1873-1885. [PMID: 35678528 PMCID: PMC9357196 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-21-1273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Defining the complex role of the microbiome in colorectal cancer and the discovery of novel, protumorigenic microbes are areas of active investigation. In the present study, culturing and reassociation experiments revealed that toxigenic strains of Clostridioides difficile drove the tumorigenic phenotype of a subset of colorectal cancer patient-derived mucosal slurries in germ-free ApcMin/+ mice. Tumorigenesis was dependent on the C. difficile toxin TcdB and was associated with induction of Wnt signaling, reactive oxygen species, and protumorigenic mucosal immune responses marked by the infiltration of activated myeloid cells and IL17-producing lymphoid and innate lymphoid cell subsets. These findings suggest that chronic colonization with toxigenic C. difficile is a potential driver of colorectal cancer in patients. SIGNIFICANCE Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer and cancer-related deaths worldwide, with a multifactorial etiology that likely includes procarcinogenic bacteria. Using human colon cancer specimens, culturing, and murine models, we demonstrate that chronic infection with the enteric pathogen C. difficile is a previously unrecognized contributor to colonic tumorigenesis. See related commentary by Jain and Dudeja, p. 1838. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1825.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia L. Drewes
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Nicholas O. Markham
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Reece J. Knippel
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jada C. Domingue
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ada J. Tam
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - June L. Chan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Lana Kim
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Madison McMann
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Courtney Stevens
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Christine M. Dejea
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Sarah Tomkovich
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - John Michel
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Fuad Mohammad
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Victoria L. Campodónico
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Cody N. Heiser
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and Program in Chemical and Physical Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Xinqun Wu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Shaoguang Wu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Hua Ding
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Patricia Simner
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Karen Carroll
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Martha J. Shrubsole
- Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Robert A. Anders
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Seth T. Walk
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana
| | - Christian Jobin
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Fengyi Wan
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Robert J. Coffey
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Franck Housseau
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ken S. Lau
- Epithelial Biology Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and Program in Chemical and Physical Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Cynthia L. Sears
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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33
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Kunishima H, Ohge H, Suzuki H, Nakamura A, Matsumoto K, Mikamo H, Mori N, Morinaga Y, Yanagihara K, Yamagishi Y, Yoshizawa S. Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection. J Infect Chemother 2022; 28:1045-1083. [PMID: 35618618 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2021.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Kunishima
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Japan.
| | - Hiroki Ohge
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan
| | - Hiromichi Suzuki
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital, Japan
| | - Atsushi Nakamura
- Division of Infection Control and Prevention, Nagoya City University Hospital, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Matsumoto
- Division of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University, Japan
| | - Hiroshige Mikamo
- Clinical Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi Medical University, Japan
| | - Nobuaki Mori
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Japan
| | - Yoshitomo Morinaga
- Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Japan
| | - Katsunori Yanagihara
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Japan
| | - Yuka Yamagishi
- Clinical Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi Medical University, Japan
| | - Sadako Yoshizawa
- Department of Clinical Laboratory/Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Toho University School of Medicine, Japan
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34
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Wan S, Song G, Hu H, Xu Y, Zeng P, Lin S, Yang J, Jiang J, Song X, Luo Y, Jin D. Intestine epithelial cell-derived extracellular vesicles alleviate inflammation induced by Clostridioides difficile TcdB through the activity of TGF-β1. Mol Cell Toxicol 2022; 19:1-11. [PMID: 35967466 PMCID: PMC9362614 DOI: 10.1007/s13273-022-00280-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Background Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has been primarily associated with the toxin B (TcdB), one of the three known protein toxins secreted by C. difficile, which can activate the intestinal immune system and lead to pathological damage. Even though the biological functions of intestine epithelial cell-derived extracellular vesicles (I-Evs) have been well documented, the role of I-Evs in the process of CDI is still unknown. Objectives The protective effect of I-Evs against C. difficile TcdB was investigated both in cultured murine colon carcinoma MC38 cells and a mouse model used in this study. Results Mouse I-Evs with mean diameter ranging from 100 to 200 nm and a density of 1.09-1.17 g/mL were obtained and confirmed containing the Ev-associated specific surface markers CD63 and TSG101 as well as high level of TGF-β1. In MC38 cells, I-Evs were able to decrease the gene expression of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-22 induced by C. difficile TcdB, but to increase both the gene expression and protein levels of TGF-β1. I-Evs treatment via intraperitoneal administration alleviates C. difficile TcdB-induced local colon inflammation in mice and increased their survival rate from 50% up to 80%. Furthermore, I-Evs induced an increase in the proportion of CD4+Foxp3+Tregs in vitro and in vivo through a TGF-β1-dependent mechanism by activating the TGF-β1 pathway and prompting phosphorylation of the downstream proteins Smad 2/3. Conclusion For the first time, our study demonstrated that I-Evs originated from intestine epithelial cells can alleviate inflammation induced by C. difficile TcdB both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, I-Evs might be potentially a novel endogenous candidate for effective treatment of CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangshuang Wan
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, No. 481 Binwen Rd., Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310063 Zhejiang China
| | - Guangzhong Song
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, No. 481 Binwen Rd., Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310063 Zhejiang China
| | - Hui Hu
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, No. 481 Binwen Rd., Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310063 Zhejiang China
| | - Yaqing Xu
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, No. 481 Binwen Rd., Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310063 Zhejiang China
| | - Peng Zeng
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, No. 481 Binwen Rd., Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310063 Zhejiang China
| | - Shan Lin
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, No. 481 Binwen Rd., Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310063 Zhejiang China
| | - Jun Yang
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, No. 481 Binwen Rd., Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310063 Zhejiang China
| | - Jinqin Jiang
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, No. 481 Binwen Rd., Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310063 Zhejiang China
| | - Xiaojun Song
- Centre of Laboratory Medicine, People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, 310014 Zhejiang China
| | - Yongneng Luo
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, No. 481 Binwen Rd., Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310063 Zhejiang China
| | - Dazhi Jin
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, No. 481 Binwen Rd., Hangzhou, 310053 Zhejiang China
- Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310063 Zhejiang China
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Calderaro A, Buttrini M, Farina B, Montecchini S, Martinelli M, Arcangeletti MC, Chezzi C, De Conto F. Characterization of Clostridioides difficile Strains from an Outbreak Using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071477. [PMID: 35889196 PMCID: PMC9320467 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has changed over the last two decades, due to the emergence of C. difficile strains with clinical relevance and responsible for nosocomial outbreaks with severe outcomes. This study reports an outbreak occurred in a Long-term Care Unit from February to March 2022 and tracked by using a Matrix-Assisted Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) typing approach (T-MALDI); subsequently, a characterization of the toxigenic and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the C. difficile isolates was performed. A total of 143 faecal samples belonging to 112 patients was evaluated and C. difficile DNA was detected in 51 samples (46 patients). Twenty-nine C. difficile isolates were obtained, and three different clusters were revealed by T-MALDI. The most representative cluster accounted 22 strains and was considered to be epidemic, in agreement with PCR-Ribotyping. Such epidemic strains were susceptible to vancomycin (MIC ≤ 0.5 mg/mL) and metronidazole (MIC ≤ 1 mg/mL), but not to moxifloxacin (MIC > 32 mg/mL). Moreover, they produced only the Toxin A and, additionally, the binary toxin. To our knowledge, this is the first reported outbreak referable to a tcdA+/tcdB-/cdt+ genotypic profile. In light of these results, T-MALDI is a valid and rapid approach for discovering and tracking outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Calderaro
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Viale A. Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy; (M.B.); (B.F.); (M.C.A.); (C.C.); (F.D.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0521-033499; Fax: +39-0521-993620
| | - Mirko Buttrini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Viale A. Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy; (M.B.); (B.F.); (M.C.A.); (C.C.); (F.D.C.)
| | - Benedetta Farina
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Viale A. Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy; (M.B.); (B.F.); (M.C.A.); (C.C.); (F.D.C.)
| | - Sara Montecchini
- Unit of Clinical Virology, University Hospital of Parma, Viale A. Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy;
| | - Monica Martinelli
- Unit of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital of Parma, Viale A. Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy;
| | - Maria Cristina Arcangeletti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Viale A. Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy; (M.B.); (B.F.); (M.C.A.); (C.C.); (F.D.C.)
| | - Carlo Chezzi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Viale A. Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy; (M.B.); (B.F.); (M.C.A.); (C.C.); (F.D.C.)
| | - Flora De Conto
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Viale A. Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy; (M.B.); (B.F.); (M.C.A.); (C.C.); (F.D.C.)
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36
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Koh E, Hwang IY, Lee HL, De Sotto R, Lee JWJ, Lee YS, March JC, Chang MW. Engineering probiotics to inhibit Clostridioides difficile infection by dynamic regulation of intestinal metabolism. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3834. [PMID: 35787625 PMCID: PMC9253155 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31334-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) results in significant morbidity and mortality in hospitalised patients. The pathogenesis of CDI is intrinsically related to the ability of C. difficile to shuffle between active vegetative cells and dormant endospores through the processes of germination and sporulation. Here, we hypothesise that dysregulation of microbiome-mediated bile salt metabolism contributes to CDI and that its alleviation can limit the pathogenesis of CDI. We engineer a genetic circuit harbouring a genetically encoded sensor, amplifier and actuator in probiotics to restore intestinal bile salt metabolism in response to antibiotic-induced microbiome dysbiosis. We demonstrate that the engineered probiotics limited the germination of endospores and the growth of vegetative cells of C. difficile in vitro and further significantly reduced CDI in model mice, as evidenced by a 100% survival rate and improved clinical outcomes. Our work presents an antimicrobial strategy that harnesses the host-pathogen microenvironment as the intervention target to limit the pathogenesis of infection. Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) results in significant morbidity and mortality in hospitalised patients. Here the authors engineer probiotics to restore intestinal bile salt metabolism in response to antibiotic-induced microbiome dysbiosis significantly inhibit Clostridioides difficile infection in model mice, presenting a microbiome-based antimicrobial strategy
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvin Koh
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - In Young Hwang
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hui Ling Lee
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ryan De Sotto
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jonathan Wei Jie Lee
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yung Seng Lee
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - John C March
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Matthew Wook Chang
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. .,Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. .,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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Biwer P, Neumann-Schaal M, Henke P, Jahn D, Schulz S. Thiol Metabolism and Volatile Metabolome of Clostridioides difficile. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:864587. [PMID: 35783419 PMCID: PMC9243749 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.864587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (previously Clostridium difficile) causes life-threatening gut infections. The central metabolism of the bacterium is strongly influencing toxin production and consequently the infection progress. In this context, the composition and potential origin of the volatile metabolome was investigated, showing a large number of sulfur-containing volatile metabolites. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)-based headspace analyses of growing C. difficile 630Δerm cultures identified 105 mainly sulfur-containing compounds responsible of the typical C. difficile odor. Major components were identified to be 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-methyl-1-propanethiol, 2-methyl-1-butanethiol, 4-methyl-1-pentanethiol, and as well as their disulfides. Structurally identified were 64 sulfur containing volatiles. In order to determine their biosynthetic origin, the concentrations of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cysteine were varied in the growth medium. The changes observed in the volatile metabolome profile indicated that cysteine plays an essential role in the formation of the sulfur-containing volatiles. We propose that disulfides are derived from cysteine via formation of cystathionine analogs, which lead to corresponding thiols. These thiols may then be oxidized to disulfides. Moreover, methionine may contribute to the formation of short-chain disulfides through integration of methanethiol into the disulfide biosynthesis. In summary, the causative agents of the typical C. difficile odor were identified and first hypotheses for their biosynthesis were proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Biwer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Meina Neumann-Schaal
- Department of Metabolomics, Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
- Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology, BRICS, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Petra Henke
- Department of Metabolomics, Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Dieter Jahn
- Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology, BRICS, Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Schulz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- *Correspondence: Stefan Schulz,
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Nyblade C, Parreno V, Zhou P, Hensley C, Oakes V, Mahsoub HM, Kiley K, Frazier M, Frazier A, Zhang Y, Feng H, Yuan L. Establishment of a gnotobiotic pig model of Clostridioides difficile infection and disease. Gut Pathog 2022; 14:22. [PMID: 35668452 PMCID: PMC9169267 DOI: 10.1186/s13099-022-00496-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractClostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a gram-positive, spore-forming, anaerobic bacterium known to be the most common cause of hospital-acquired and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. C. difficile infection rates are on the rise worldwide and treatment options are limited, indicating a clear need for novel therapeutics. Gnotobiotic piglets are an excellent model to reproduce the acute pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) caused by C. difficile due to their physiological similarities to humans and high susceptibility to infection. Here, we established a gnotobiotic pig model of C. difficile infection and disease using a hypervirulent strain. C. difficile-infected pigs displayed classic signs of C. difficile infection, including severe diarrhea and weight loss. Inoculated pigs had severe gross and microscopic intestinal lesions. C. difficile infection caused an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines in samples of serum, large intestinal contents, and pleural effusion. C. difficile spores and toxins were detected in the feces of inoculated animals as tested by anaerobic culture and cytotoxicity assays. Successful establishment of this model is key for future work as therapeutics can be evaluated in an environment that accurately mimics what happens in humans. The model is especially suitable for evaluating potential prophylactics and therapeutics, including vaccines and passive immune strategies.
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Development of a Dual-Fluorescent-Reporter System in Clostridioides difficile Reveals a Division of Labor between Virulence and Transmission Gene Expression. mSphere 2022; 7:e0013222. [PMID: 35638354 PMCID: PMC9241537 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00132-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial pathogen Clostridioides difficile causes gastroenteritis by producing toxins and transmits disease by making resistant spores. Toxin and spore production are energy-expensive processes that are regulated by multiple transcription factors in response to many environmental inputs. While toxin and sporulation genes are both induced in only a subset of C. difficile cells, the relationship between these two subpopulations remains unclear. To address whether C. difficile coordinates the generation of these subpopulations, we developed a dual-transcriptional-reporter system that allows toxin and sporulation gene expression to be simultaneously visualized at the single-cell level using chromosomally encoded mScarlet and mNeonGreen fluorescent transcriptional reporters. We then adapted an automated image analysis pipeline to quantify toxin and sporulation gene expression in thousands of individual cells under different medium conditions and in different genetic backgrounds. These analyses revealed that toxin and sporulation gene expression rarely overlap during growth on agar plates, whereas broth culture increases this overlap. Our results suggest that certain growth conditions promote a “division of labor” between transmission and virulence gene expression, highlighting how environmental inputs influence these subpopulations. Our data further suggest that the RstA transcriptional regulator skews the population to activate sporulation genes rather than toxin genes. Given that recent work has revealed population-wide heterogeneity for numerous cellular processes in C. difficile, we anticipate that our dual-reporter system will be broadly useful for determining the overlap between these subpopulations. IMPORTANCEClostridioides difficile is an important nosocomial pathogen that causes severe diarrhea by producing toxins and transmits disease by producing spores. While both processes are crucial for C. difficile disease, only a subset of cells express toxins and/or undergo sporulation. Whether C. difficile coordinates the subset of cells inducing these energy-expensive processes remains unknown. To address this question, we developed a dual-fluorescent-reporter system coupled with an automated image analysis pipeline to rapidly compare the expression of two genes of interest across thousands of cells. Using this system, we discovered that certain growth conditions, particularly growth on agar plates, induce a “division of labor” between toxin and sporulation gene expression. Since C. difficile exhibits phenotypic heterogeneity for numerous vital cellular processes, this novel dual-reporter system will enable future studies aimed at understanding how C. difficile coordinates various subpopulations throughout its infectious disease cycle.
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Adamson H, Ajayi MO, Gilroy KE, McPherson MJ, Tomlinson DC, Jeuken LJC. Rapid Quantification of C. difficile Glutamate Dehydrogenase and Toxin B (TcdB) with a NanoBiT Split-Luciferase Assay. Anal Chem 2022; 94:8156-8163. [PMID: 35634999 PMCID: PMC9201815 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c05206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
![]()
C. difficile infection (CDI) is a leading healthcare-associated
infection with a high morbidity and mortality and is a financial burden.
No current standalone point-of-care test (POCT) is sufficient for
the identification of true CDI over a disease-free carriage of C. difficile, so one is urgently required to ensure timely,
appropriate treatment. Here, two types of binding proteins, Affimers
and nanobodies, targeting two C. difficile biomarkers,
glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and toxin B (TcdB), are combined in
NanoBiT (NanoLuc Binary Technology) split-luciferase assays. The assays
were optimized and their performance controlling parameters were examined.
The 44 fM limit of detection (LoD), 4–5 log range and 1300-fold
signal gain of the TcdB assay in buffer is the best observed for a
NanoBiT assay to date. In the stool sample matrix, the GDH and TcdB
assay sensitivity (LoD = 4.5 and 2 pM, respectively) and time to result
(32 min) are similar to a current, commercial lateral flow POCT, but
the NanoBit assay has no wash steps, detects clinically relevant TcdB
over TcdA, and is quantitative. Development of the assay into a POCT
may drive sensitivity further and offer an urgently needed ultrasensitive
TcdB test for the rapid diagnosis of true CDI. The NanoBiTBiP (NanoBiT
with Binding Proteins) system offers advantages over NanoBiT assays
with antibodies as binding elements in terms of ease of production
and assay performance. We expect this methodology and approach to
be generally applicable to other biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hope Adamson
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Modupe O. Ajayi
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Kate E. Gilroy
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Michael J. McPherson
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Darren C. Tomlinson
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Lars J. C. Jeuken
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, PC Box 9502, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Trzilova D, Warren MAH, Gadda NC, Williams CL, Tamayo R. Flagellum and toxin phase variation impacts intestinal colonization and disease development in a mouse model of Clostridioides difficile infection. Gut Microbes 2022; 14:2038854. [PMID: 35192433 PMCID: PMC8890394 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2022.2038854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a major nosocomial pathogen that can cause severe, toxin-mediated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. Recent work has shown that C. difficile exhibits heterogeneity in swimming motility and toxin production in vitro through phase variation by site-specific DNA recombination. The recombinase RecV reversibly inverts the flagellar switch sequence upstream of the flgB operon, leading to the ON/OFF expression of flagellum and toxin genes. How this phenomenon impacts C. difficile virulence in vivo remains unknown. We identified mutations in the right inverted repeat that reduced or prevented flagellar switch inversion by RecV. We introduced these mutations into C. difficile R20291 to create strains with the flagellar switch "locked" in either the ON or OFF orientation. These mutants exhibited a loss of flagellum and toxin phase variation during growth in vitro, yielding precisely modified mutants suitable for assessing virulence in vivo. In a hamster model of acute C. difficile infection, the phase-locked ON mutant caused greater toxin accumulation than the phase-locked OFF mutant but did not differ significantly in the ability to cause acute disease symptoms. In contrast, in a mouse model, preventing flagellum and toxin phase variation affected the ability of C. difficile to colonize the intestinal tract and to elicit weight loss, which is attributable to differences in toxin production during infection. These results show that the ability of C. difficile to phase vary flagella and toxins influences colonization and disease development and suggest that the phenotypic variants generated by flagellar switch inversion have distinct capacities for causing disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Trzilova
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mercedes A. H. Warren
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Nicole C. Gadda
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Caitlin L. Williams
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rita Tamayo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,CONTACT Rita Tamayo 125 Mason Farm Rd, CB #7290, Chapel Hill, NC27599-7290
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to provide an update regarding the gut barrier and its involvement with chronic diseases, as well as to review biomarkers for identification of gut barrier integrity. This review is timely and relevant as our knowledge is increasing regarding the role of the gut microbiome and the gut barrier in health and disease. RECENT FINDINGS This review provides an overview of: the gut barrier, which is complex and comprised of the mucus layer and the intestinal apical junctional protein complex; the gut microbiome in its relation to regulating the integrity of the gut barrier; select acute and chronic conditions that are known to be associated with gut dysbiosis and impaired gut integrity or 'leaky gut'; and current means for identifying loss in gut barrier integrity. SUMMARY Many chronic conditions are associated with gut dysbiosis and systemic inflammation. Identifying whether the gut barrier is compromised in these conditions could help to inform potential therapeutics as a means to correct losses in gut barrier integrity and mitigate associated medical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Santilli
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
| | - Stavros Stefanopoulos
- Department of General Surgery, Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
| | - Gail A.M. Cresci
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Pediatric Institute, Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, OH
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Kordus SL, Thomas AK, Lacy DB. Clostridioides difficile toxins: mechanisms of action and antitoxin therapeutics. Nat Rev Microbiol 2022; 20:285-298. [PMID: 34837014 PMCID: PMC9018519 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-021-00660-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive anaerobe that can cause a spectrum of disorders that range in severity from mild diarrhoea to fulminant colitis and/or death. The bacterium produces up to three toxins, which are considered the major virulence factors in C. difficile infection. These toxins promote inflammation, tissue damage and diarrhoea. In this Review, we highlight recent biochemical and structural advances in our understanding of the mechanisms that govern host-toxin interactions. Understanding how C. difficile toxins affect the host forms a foundation for developing novel strategies for treatment and prevention of C. difficile infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon L. Kordus
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA,Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA,These authors contributed equally: Shannon L. Kordus, Audrey K. Thomas
| | - Audrey K. Thomas
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA,Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA,These authors contributed equally: Shannon L. Kordus, Audrey K. Thomas
| | - D. Borden Lacy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA,Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA,The Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare, System, Nashville, TN, USA,
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Martínez-Meléndez A, Cruz-López F, Morfin-Otero R, Maldonado-Garza HJ, Garza-González E. An Update on Clostridioides difficile Binary Toxin. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14050305. [PMID: 35622552 PMCID: PMC9146464 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14050305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with Clostridioides difficile (CDI), a common healthcare-associated infection, includes symptoms ranging from mild diarrhea to severe cases of pseudomembranous colitis. Toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB) cause cytotoxicity and cellular detachment from intestinal epithelium and are responsible for CDI symptomatology. Approximately 20% of C. difficile strains produce a binary toxin (CDT) encoded by the tcdA and tcdB genes, which is thought to enhance TcdA and TcdB toxicity; however, the role of CDT in CDI remains controversial. Here, we focused on describing the main features of CDT and its impact on the host, clinical relevance, epidemiology, and potential therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Martínez-Meléndez
- Subdirección Académica de Químico Farmacéutico Biólogo, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Pedro de Alba S/N, Cd Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; (A.M.-M.); (F.C.-L.)
| | - Flora Cruz-López
- Subdirección Académica de Químico Farmacéutico Biólogo, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Pedro de Alba S/N, Cd Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; (A.M.-M.); (F.C.-L.)
| | - Rayo Morfin-Otero
- Instituto de Patología Infecciosa y Experimental “Dr. Francisco Ruiz Sánchez”, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Calle Hospital 308, Colonia el Retiro, Guadalajara 44280, Jalisco, Mexico;
| | - Héctor J. Maldonado-Garza
- Servicio de Gastroenterología, Facultad de Medicina/Hospital Universitario “Dr. José Eleuterio González”, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Av. Francisco I. Madero Pte. S/N y Av. José E. González, Col. Mitras Centro, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Leon, Mexico;
| | - Elvira Garza-González
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular, Facultad de Medicina y Hospital Universitario “Dr. José Eleuterio González”, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Av. Francisco I. Madero Pte. S/N y Av. José E. González, Col. Mitras Centro, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
- Correspondence:
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Clostridioides difficile Toxin B Activates Group 3 Innate Lymphocytes. Infect Immun 2022; 90:e0007322. [PMID: 35377172 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00073-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Group 3 innate lymphocytes (ILC3s) are rare immune cells localized in mucosal tissues, especially the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Despite their rarity, they are a major source of the cytokine interleukin-22 (IL-22), which protects the GI epithelium during inflammation and infection. Although ILC3s have been demonstrated to be important for defense against Clostridioides difficile infection, the exact mechanisms through which they sense productive infection and become activated to produce IL-22 remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified a novel mechanism of ILC3 activation after exposure to C. difficile. Toxin B (TcdB) from C. difficile directly induced production of IL-22 in ILC3s, and this induction was dependent on the glucosyltransferase activity of the toxin, which inhibits small GTPases. Pharmacological inhibition of the small GTPase Cdc42 also enhanced IL-22 production in ILC3s, indicating that Cdc42 is a negative regulator of ILC3 activation. Further gene expression analysis revealed that treatment with TcdB modulated the expression of several inflammation-related genes in ILC3s. These findings demonstrate that C. difficile toxin-mediated inhibition of Cdc42 leads to the activation of ILC3s, providing evidence for how these cells are recruited into the immune response against the pathobiont.
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Hazleton KZ, Martin CG, Orlicky DJ, Arnolds KL, Nusbacher NM, Moreno-Huizar N, Armstrong M, Reisdorph N, Lozupone CA. Dietary fat promotes antibiotic-induced Clostridioides difficile mortality in mice. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2022; 8:15. [PMID: 35365681 PMCID: PMC8975876 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-022-00276-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea, and emerging evidence has linked dietary components with CDI pathogenesis, suggesting that dietary modulation may be an effective strategy for prevention. Here, we show that mice fed a high-fat/low-fiber “Western-type” diet (WD) had dramatically increased mortality in a murine model of antibiotic-induced CDI compared to a low-fat/low-fiber (LF/LF) diet and standard mouse chow controls. We found that the WD had a pro- C. difficile bile acid composition that was driven in part by higher levels of primary bile acids that are produced to digest fat, and a lower level of secondary bile acids that are produced by the gut microbiome. This lack of secondary bile acids was associated with a greater disturbance to the gut microbiome with antibiotics in both the WD and LF/LF diet compared to mouse chow. Mice fed the WD also had the highest level of toxin TcdA just prior to the onset of mortality, but not of TcdB or increased inflammation. These findings indicate that dietary intervention to decrease fat may complement previously proposed dietary intervention strategies to prevent CDI in high-risk individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Z Hazleton
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. University of Colorado, Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.,Digestive Health Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Casey G Martin
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - David J Orlicky
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Kathleen L Arnolds
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Nichole M Nusbacher
- Department of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Nancy Moreno-Huizar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Michael Armstrong
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Nichole Reisdorph
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Catherine A Lozupone
- Department of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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Luo J, Yang Q, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Wan L, Zhan X, Zhou Y, He L, Li D, Jin D, Zhen Y, Huang J, Li Y, Tao L. TFPI is a colonic crypt receptor for TcdB from hypervirulent clade 2 C. difficile. Cell 2022; 185:980-994.e15. [PMID: 35303428 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of hypervirulent clade 2 Clostridioides difficile is associated with severe symptoms and accounts for >20% of global infections. TcdB is a dominant virulence factor of C. difficile, and clade 2 strains exclusively express two TcdB variants (TcdB2 and TcdB4) that use unknown receptors distinct from the classic TcdB. Here, we performed CRISPR/Cas9 screens for TcdB4 and identified tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) as its receptor. Using cryo-EM, we determined a complex structure of the full-length TcdB4 with TFPI, defining a common receptor-binding region for TcdB. Residue variations within this region divide major TcdB variants into 2 classes: one recognizes Frizzled (FZD), and the other recognizes TFPI. TFPI is highly expressed in the intestinal glands, and recombinant TFPI protects the colonic epithelium from TcdB2/4. These findings establish TFPI as a colonic crypt receptor for TcdB from clade 2 C. difficile and reveal new mechanisms for CDI pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Luo
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Qi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; School of Food Science and Biotechnology Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Li Wan
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Xiechao Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Yao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Liuqing He
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Danyang Li
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Dazhi Jin
- Center of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China; School of Laboratory Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Ying Zhen
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Yanyan Li
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China.
| | - Liang Tao
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China.
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Peritore-Galve FC, Shupe JA, Cave RJ, Childress KO, Washington MK, Kuehne SA, Lacy DB. Glucosyltransferase-dependent and independent effects of Clostridioides difficile toxins during infection. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010323. [PMID: 35176123 PMCID: PMC8890742 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of nosocomial diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis in the USA. In addition to these symptoms, patients with CDI can develop severe inflammation and tissue damage, resulting in life-threatening toxic megacolon. CDI is mediated by two large homologous protein toxins, TcdA and TcdB, that bind and hijack receptors to enter host cells where they use glucosyltransferase (GT) enzymes to inactivate Rho family GTPases. GT-dependent intoxication elicits cytopathic changes, cytokine production, and apoptosis. At higher concentrations TcdB induces GT-independent necrosis in cells and tissue by stimulating production of reactive oxygen species via recruitment of the NADPH oxidase complex. Although GT-independent necrosis has been observed in vitro, the relevance of this mechanism during CDI has remained an outstanding question in the field. In this study we generated novel C. difficile toxin mutants in the hypervirulent BI/NAP1/PCR-ribotype 027 R20291 strain to test the hypothesis that GT-independent epithelial damage occurs during CDI. Using the mouse model of CDI, we observed that epithelial damage occurs through a GT-independent process that does not involve immune cell influx. The GT-activity of either toxin was sufficient to cause severe edema and inflammation, yet GT activity of both toxins was necessary to produce severe watery diarrhea. These results demonstrate that both TcdA and TcdB contribute to disease pathogenesis when present. Further, while inactivating GT activity of C. difficile toxins may suppress diarrhea and deleterious GT-dependent immune responses, the potential of severe GT-independent epithelial damage merits consideration when developing toxin-based therapeutics against CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Christopher Peritore-Galve
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - John A. Shupe
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Rory J. Cave
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of West London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin O. Childress
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - M. Kay Washington
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Sarah A. Kuehne
- Oral Microbiology Group, School of Dentistry and Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - D. Borden Lacy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Williamson CHD, Stone NE, Nunnally AE, Roe CC, Vazquez AJ, Lucero SA, Hornstra H, Wagner DM, Keim P, Rupnik M, Janezic S, Sahl JW. Identification of novel, cryptic Clostridioides species isolates from environmental samples collected from diverse geographical locations. Microb Genom 2022; 8. [PMID: 35166655 PMCID: PMC8942030 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a pathogen often associated with hospital-acquired infection or antimicrobial-induced disease; however, increasing evidence indicates infections can result from community or environmental sources. Most genomic sequencing of C. difficile has focused on clinical strains, although evidence is growing that C. difficile spores are widespread in soil and water in the environment. In this study, we sequenced 38 genomes collected from soil and water isolates in Flagstaff (AZ, USA) and Slovenia in an effort targeted towards environmental surveillance of C. difficile. At the average nucleotide identity (ANI) level, the genomes were divergent to C. difficile at a threshold consistent with different species. A phylogenetic analysis of these divergent genomes together with Clostridioides genomes available in public repositories confirmed the presence of three previously described, cryptic Clostridioides species and added two additional clades. One of the cryptic species (C-III) was almost entirely composed of Arizona and Slovenia genomes, and contained distinct sub-groups from each region (evidenced by SNP and gene-content differences). A comparative genomics analysis identified multiple unique coding sequences per clade, which can serve as markers for subsequent environmental surveys of these cryptic species. Homologues to the C. difficile toxin genes, tcdA and tcdB, were found in cryptic species genomes, although they were not part of the typical pathogenicity locus observed in C. difficile, and in silico PCR suggested that some would not amplify with widely used PCR diagnostic tests. We also identified gene homologues in the binary toxin cluster, including some present on phage and, for what is believed to be the first time, on a plasmid. All isolates were obtained from environmental samples, so the function and disease potential of these toxin homologues is currently unknown. Enzymatic profiles of a subset of cryptic isolates (n=5) demonstrated differences, suggesting that these isolates contain substantial metabolic diversity. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was observed across a subset of isolates (n=4), suggesting that AMR mechanisms are intrinsic to the genus, perhaps originating from a shared environmental origin. This study greatly expands our understanding of the genomic diversity of Clostridioides. These results have implications for C. difficile One Health research, for more sensitive C. difficile diagnostics, as well as for understanding the evolutionary history of C. difficile and the development of pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nathan E Stone
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 4073, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Amalee E Nunnally
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 4073, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Chandler C Roe
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 4073, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Adam J Vazquez
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 4073, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Samantha A Lucero
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 4073, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Heidie Hornstra
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 4073, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - David M Wagner
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 4073, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Paul Keim
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 4073, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Maja Rupnik
- National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, Prvomajska Ulica 1, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Sandra Janezic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Jason William Sahl
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 4073, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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50
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Heber S, Barthold L, Baier J, Papatheodorou P, Fois G, Frick M, Barth H, Fischer S. Inhibition of Clostridioides difficile Toxins TcdA and TcdB by Ambroxol. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:809595. [PMID: 35058787 PMCID: PMC8764291 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.809595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides (C.) difficile produces the exotoxins TcdA and TcdB, which are the predominant virulence factors causing C. difficile associated disease (CDAD). TcdA and TcdB bind to target cells and are internalized via receptor-mediated endocytosis. Translocation of the toxins’ enzyme subunits from early endosomes into the cytosol depends on acidification of endosomal vesicles, which is a prerequisite for the formation of transmembrane channels. The enzyme subunits of the toxins translocate into the cytosol via these channels where they are released after auto-proteolytic cleavage. Once in the cytosol, both toxins target small GTPases of the Rho/Ras-family and inactivate them by mono-glucosylation. This in turn interferes with actin-dependent processes and ultimately leads to the breakdown of the intestinal epithelial barrier and inflammation. So far, therapeutic approaches to treat CDAD are insufficient, since conventional antibiotic therapy does not target the bacterial protein toxins, which are the causative agents for the clinical symptoms. Thus, directly targeting the exotoxins represents a promising approach for the treatment of CDAD. Lately, it was shown that ambroxol (Ax) prevents acidification of intracellular organelles. Therefore, we investigated the effect of Ax on the cytotoxic activities of TcdA and TcdB. Ax significantly reduced toxin-induced morphological changes as well as the glucosylation of Rac1 upon intoxication with TcdA and TcdB. Most surprisingly, Ax, independent of its effects on endosomal acidification, decreased the toxins’ intracellular enzyme activity, which is mediated by a catalytic glucosyltransferase domain. Considering its undoubted safety profile, Ax might be taken into account as therapeutic option in the context of CDAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Heber
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Lara Barthold
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jan Baier
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Giorgio Fois
- Institute of General Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Manfred Frick
- Institute of General Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Holger Barth
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stephan Fischer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
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