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Jiang T, Bai X, Li M. Advances in the Development of Bacterial Bioluminescence Imaging. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY (PALO ALTO, CALIF.) 2024; 17:265-288. [PMID: 38640069 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-061622-034229] [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: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a powerful method for visualizing biological processes and tracking cells. Engineered bioluminescent bacteria that utilize luciferase-catalyzed biochemical reactions to generate luminescence have become useful analytical tools for in vitro and in vivo bacterial imaging. Accordingly, this review initially introduces the development of engineered bioluminescent bacteria that use different luciferase-luciferin pairs as analytical tools and their applications for in vivo BLI, including real-time bacterial tracking of infection, probiotic investigation, tumor-targeted therapy, and drug screening. Applications of engineered bioluminescent bacteria as whole-cell biosensors for sensing biological changes in vitro and in vivo are then discussed. Finally, we review the optimizations and future directions of bioluminescent bacteria for imaging. This review aims to provide fundamental insights into bacterial BLI and highlight the potential development of this technique in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyu Jiang
- 1Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaoyu Bai
- 1Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- 2School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Minyong Li
- 3Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (MOE), Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China;
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Price SL, Oakes RS, Gonzalez RJ, Edwards C, Brady A, DeMarco JK, von Andrian UH, Jewell CM, Lawrenz MB. Microneedle array delivery of Yersinia pestis recapitulates bubonic plague. iScience 2024; 27:108600. [PMID: 38179062 PMCID: PMC10765063 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108600] [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] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Fleas transmit Yersinia pestis directly within the dermis of mammals to cause bubonic plague. Syringe-mediated inoculation is widely used to recapitulate bubonic plague and study Y. pestis pathogenesis. However, intradermal needle inoculation is tedious, error prone, and poses a significant safety risk for laboratorians. Microneedle arrays (MNAs) are micron-scale polymeric structures that deliver materials to the dermis, while minimizing the risk of needle sticks. We demonstrated that MNA inoculation is a viable strategy to recapitulate bubonic plague and study bacterial virulence by defining the parameters needed to establish a lethal infection in the mouse model and characterizing the course of infection using live-animal optical imaging. Using MNAs, we also demonstrated that Y. pestis must overcome calprotectin-mediated zinc restriction within the dermis and dermal delivery of an attenuated mutant has vaccine potential. Together, these data demonstrate that MNAs are a safe alternative to study Y. pestis pathogenesis in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L. Price
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Robert S. Oakes
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Rodrigo J. Gonzalez
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Camilla Edwards
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Amanda Brady
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Jennifer K. DeMarco
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Ulrich H. von Andrian
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Christopher M. Jewell
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Matthew B. Lawrenz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
- Center for Predictive Medicine for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
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Fodah RA, Scott JB, Warawa JM. Direct monitoring of meropenem therapeutic efficacy against Klebsiella pneumoniae respiratory infection by bioluminescence imaging. J Med Microbiol 2023; 72. [PMID: 37252851 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major threat to public health worldwide. It is the causative agent for multiple disease presentations including urinary tract infection, septicemia, liver abscess, wound infection and respiratory tract infection. K. pneumoniae causes community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia, which is a devastating disease associated with high mortality rates.Hypothesis. There is a growing concern about the emergence of multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae strains complicating the treatment with the current available therapeutics; therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of new antimicrobial agents.Aim. K. pneumoniae causes an acute respiratory disease in mice and in the current work we investigated the capability to perform non-invasive monitoring of bioluminescent Klebsiella to monitor therapeutic efficacy.Methodology. We engineered a bioluminescence reporter strain of K. pneumoniae to monitor the impact of antibiotics in a murine respiratory disease model.Results. We demonstrate that bioluminescence correlates with bacterial numbers in host tissues allowing for a non-invasive enumeration of bacterial replication in vivo. Light production is directly linked to bacterial viability, and this novel bioluminescent K. pneumoniae strain enabled monitoring of the efficacy of meropenem therapy in arresting bacterial proliferation in the lung.Conclusion. The use of non-invasive bioluminescent imaging improves preclinical animal model testing to detect study outcome earlier and with higher sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramy A Fodah
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Present address: King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jacob B Scott
- Dental School, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jonathan M Warawa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA
- Center for Predictive Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA
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Bosio CF, Jarrett CO, Scott DP, Fintzi J, Hinnebusch BJ. Comparison of the transmission efficiency and plague progression dynamics associated with two mechanisms by which fleas transmit Yersinia pestis. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1009092. [PMID: 33284863 PMCID: PMC7746306 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis can be transmitted by fleas during the first week after an infectious blood meal, termed early-phase or mass transmission, and again after Y. pestis forms a cohesive biofilm in the flea foregut that blocks normal blood feeding. We compared the transmission efficiency and the progression of infection after transmission by Oropsylla montana fleas at both stages. Fleas were allowed to feed on mice three days after an infectious blood meal to evaluate early-phase transmission, or after they had developed complete proventricular blockage. Transmission was variable and rather inefficient by both modes, and the odds of early-phase transmission was positively associated with the number of infected fleas that fed. Disease progression in individual mice bitten by fleas infected with a bioluminescent strain of Y. pestis was tracked. An early prominent focus of infection at the intradermal flea bite site and dissemination to the draining lymph node(s) soon thereafter were common features, but unlike what has been observed in intradermal injection models, this did not invariably lead to further systemic spread and terminal disease. Several of these mice resolved the infection without progression to terminal sepsis and developed an immune response to Y. pestis, particularly those that received an intermediate number of early-phase flea bites. Furthermore, two distinct types of terminal disease were noted: the stereotypical rapid onset terminal disease within four days, or a prolonged onset preceded by an extended, fluctuating infection of the lymph nodes before eventual systemic dissemination. For both modes of transmission, bubonic plague rather than primary septicemic plague was the predominant disease outcome. The results will help to inform mathematical models of flea-borne plague dynamics used to predict the relative contribution of the two transmission modes to epizootic outbreaks that erupt periodically from the normal enzootic background state. Yersinia pestis can be transmitted by fleas within a few days after taking a blood meal from a highly bacteremic host, termed early-phase or mass transmission; and again after it forms a dense biofilm in the foregut of its vector that can eventually block blood feeding. The relative importance of the two transmission modes in the ecology of plague is a matter of current debate, but estimates of transmission rate, efficiency, and other parameters are limited. We compared transmission and disease progression dynamics in mice bitten by groups of fleas three days after their infectious blood meal (early-phase or mass transmission mode) and in mice bitten by individual blocked fleas. In general, a higher percentage of transmissions by blocked fleas led to terminal disease, whereas early-phase transmissions more often led to survival and an immune response, which are nonproductive infections in the sense that the bacteremia required to continue the Y. pestis life cycle did not develop and these animals would be removed from the pool of susceptibles in the host population. The data will be useful in mathematical models of plague dynamics in wild rodent populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher F. Bosio
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Clayton O. Jarrett
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Dana P. Scott
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Fintzi
- Biostatistics Research Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - B. Joseph Hinnebusch
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Zhang Y, Ying X, He Y, Jiang L, Zhang S, Bartra SS, Plano GV, Klena JD, Skurnik M, Chen H, Cai H, Chen T. Invasiveness of the Yersinia pestis ail protein contributes to host dissemination in pneumonic and oral plague. Microb Pathog 2020; 141:103993. [PMID: 31988008 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.103993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, a Gram-negative bacterium, is the etiologic agent of plague. A hallmark of Y. pestis infection is the organism's ability to rapidly disseminate through an animal host. Y. pestis expresses the outer membrane protein, Ail (Attachment invasion locus), which is associated with host invasion and serum resistance. However, whether Ail plays a role in host dissemination remains unclear. In this study, C57BL/6J mice were challenged with a defined Y. pestis strain, KimD27, or an isogenic ail-deleted mutant derived from KimD27 via metacarpal paw pad inoculation, nasal drops, orogastric infection, or tail vein injection to mimic bubonic, pneumonic, oral, or septicemic plague, respectively. Our results showed that ail-deleted Y. pestis KimD27 lost the ability to invade host cells, leading to failed host dissemination in the pneumonic and oral plague models but not in the bubonic or septicemic plague models, which do not require invasiveness. Therefore, this study demonstrated that whether Ail plays a role in Y. pestis pathogenesis depends on the infection route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingmiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoling Ying
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China; Translational Medicine Conter, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510000, Guangdong, China
| | - Yingxia He
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Lingyu Jiang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Song Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Sara Schesser Bartra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33101, USA
| | - Gregory V Plano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33101, USA
| | - John D Klena
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mikael Skurnik
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Medicum, Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Division of Clinical Microbiology, Helsinki University Hospital, HUSLAB, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hongxiang Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huahua Cai
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
| | - Tie Chen
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
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Abstract
The lux operon is a useful reporter for bioluminescence imaging due to its independence of exogenous luciferin supply, but its relatively low brightness hampers the imaging of single cells. This chapter describes a procedure for the imaging of individual Escherichia coli cells using an improved ilux operon. The enhanced brightness of ilux enables long-term bioluminescence imaging of single bacteria with high sensitivity without the requirement for an external luciferin.
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Temperature Control of psaA Expression by PsaE and PsaF in Yersinia pestis. J Bacteriol 2019; 201:JB.00217-19. [PMID: 31138630 PMCID: PMC6657601 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00217-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Y. pestis is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that causes bubonic plague. As a vector-borne pathogen, Y. pestis fluctuates between an arthropod vector (flea) and mammalian host. As such, Y. pestis must recognize environmental signals encountered within each host environment and respond by appropriately regulating gene expression. PsaA is a key Y. pestis mammalian virulence determinant that forms fimbriae. Our work provides evidence that Y. pestis utilizes multiple posttranscriptional mechanisms to regulate the levels of two PsaA regulatory proteins in response to both temperature and pH. This study offers insight into mechanisms that bacteria utilize to sense environmental cues and regulate the expression of determinants required for mammalian disease. PsaA, the subunit of the fimbria originally referred to as the “pH 6 antigen,” is required for full virulence of Yersinia pestis during bubonic plague. The expression of psaA is dependent upon specific environmental signals, and while the signals (high temperature and acidic pH) are defined, the mechanisms underlying this regulation remain unclear. In the closely related species Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, psaA transcription requires two regulatory genes, psaE and psaF, and it is speculated that posttranscriptional regulation of PsaE and/or PsaF contributes to the regulation of psaA transcription. Few studies have examined the regulation of psaA expression in Y. pestis, and prior to this work, the roles of psaE and psaF in Y. pestis had not been defined. The data presented here show that both psaE and psaF are required for psaA transcription in Y. pestis and that the impact of temperature and pH is mediated through discrete posttranscriptional effects on PsaE and PsaF. By generating antibodies that recognize endogenous PsaE and PsaF, we determined that the levels of both proteins are impacted by temperature and pH. High temperature is required for psaE and psaF translation via discrete mechanisms mediated by the mRNA 5′ untranslated region (UTR) upstream of each gene. Additionally, levels of PsaE and PsaF are impacted by pH. We show that PsaF enhances the stability of PsaE, and thus, both PsaE and PsaF are required for psaA transcription. Our data indicate that the environmental signals (temperature and pH) impact the expression of psaA by affecting the translation of psaE and psaF and the stability of PsaE and PsaF. IMPORTANCEY. pestis is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that causes bubonic plague. As a vector-borne pathogen, Y. pestis fluctuates between an arthropod vector (flea) and mammalian host. As such, Y. pestis must recognize environmental signals encountered within each host environment and respond by appropriately regulating gene expression. PsaA is a key Y. pestis mammalian virulence determinant that forms fimbriae. Our work provides evidence that Y. pestis utilizes multiple posttranscriptional mechanisms to regulate the levels of two PsaA regulatory proteins in response to both temperature and pH. This study offers insight into mechanisms that bacteria utilize to sense environmental cues and regulate the expression of determinants required for mammalian disease.
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Kendall LV, Owiny JR, Dohm ED, Knapek KJ, Lee ES, Kopanke JH, Fink M, Hansen SA, Ayers JD. Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction in Animal Studies With Biohazardous Agents. ILAR J 2019; 59:177-194. [DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ily021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Animal models are critical to the advancement of our knowledge of infectious disease pathogenesis, diagnostics, therapeutics, and prevention strategies. The use of animal models requires thoughtful consideration for their well-being, as infections can significantly impact the general health of an animal and impair their welfare. Application of the 3Rs—replacement, refinement, and reduction—to animal models using biohazardous agents can improve the scientific merit and animal welfare. Replacement of animal models can use in vitro techniques such as cell culture systems, mathematical models, and engineered tissues or invertebrate animal hosts such as amoeba, worms, fruit flies, and cockroaches. Refinements can use a variety of techniques to more closely monitor the course of disease. These include the use of biomarkers, body temperature, behavioral observations, and clinical scoring systems. Reduction is possible using advanced technologies such as in vivo telemetry and imaging, allowing longitudinal assessment of animals during the course of disease. While there is no single method to universally replace, refine, or reduce animal models, the alternatives and techniques discussed are broadly applicable and they should be considered when infectious disease animal models are developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lon V Kendall
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, and Laboratory Animal Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - James R Owiny
- Laboratory Animal Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Erik D Dohm
- Animal Resources Program, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Katie J Knapek
- Comparative Medicine Training Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Erin S Lee
- Animal Resource Center, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Jennifer H Kopanke
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Michael Fink
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Sarah A Hansen
- Office of Animal Resources, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Jessica D Ayers
- Laboratory Animal Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
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Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) has become a major strategy for real-time analysis of dynamic biological processes. In particular, bioluminescent reporter microorganisms have been designed to advance our understanding of infectious diseases. Non-invasive monitoring of light-emitting pathogenic bacteria has revealed novel features of pathogenesis and enabled quantitative and qualitative analysis of antibacterial therapies. Transcriptional gene fusions using the bacterial luciferase operon luxCDABE as a reporter have been successfully used to monitor gene expression in vitro and in vivo, leading to valuable applications and major findings. In this chapter, we describe the construction of Yersinia pestis strains bearing a chromosomal copy of the luxCDABE operon under the control of promoters regulated by temperature and their application to quantify gene expression in real-time in bacteria growing in vitro and in a murine bubonic plague model.
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Liu J, Bai R, Li Y, Staedtke V, Zhang S, van Zijl PC, Liu G. MRI detection of bacterial brain abscesses and monitoring of antibiotic treatment using bacCEST. Magn Reson Med 2018; 80:662-671. [PMID: 29577382 PMCID: PMC5910221 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.27180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To develop a new MRI method to detect and characterize brain abscesses using the CEST contrast inherently carried by bacterial cells, namely bacCEST. METHODS Bacteria S. aureus (ATCC #49775) and F98 and 9L glioma cells were injected stereotactically in the brains of F344 rats to form abscesses and tumors. The CEST signals of brain abscesses (n = 4) and tumors (n = 7) were acquired using 2 B1 values (i.e., 1 and 3 µT) and compared. The bacCEST signal of the brain abscesses in the rats (n = 3) receiving ampicillin (intraperitoneal injection 40 mg/kg twice daily) was acquired before, 4 and 10 days after the treatment. RESULTS The bacCEST signal of S. aureus was characterized in vitro as a strong and broad signal in the range of 1 to 4 ppm, with the maximum contrast occurring at 2.6 ppm. The CEST signal in S. aureus-induced brain abscesses was significantly higher than that of contralateral parenchyma (p = .003). Moreover, thanks to their different B1 independence, brain abscesses and tumors could be effectively differentiated (p = .005) using ΔCEST(2.6 ppm, 3 µT-1 µT), defined by the difference between the CEST signal (offset = 2.6 ppm) acquired using B1 = 3 µT and that of 1 µT. In treated rats, bacCEST MRI could detect the response of bacteria as early as 4 days after the antibiotic treatment (p = .035). CONCLUSION BacCEST MRI provides a new imaging method to detect, discriminate, and monitor bacterial infection in deep-seated organs. Because no contrast agent is needed, such an approach has a great translational potential for detecting and monitoring bacterial infection in deep-seated organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liu
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences/Guangdong General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Division of MR Research, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Graduate College, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Renyuan Bai
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Yuguo Li
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Division of MR Research, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Verena Staedtke
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Shuixing Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Peter C.M. van Zijl
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Division of MR Research, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Guanshu Liu
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Division of MR Research, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Rodea GE, Montiel-Infante FX, Cruz-Córdova A, Saldaña-Ahuactzi Z, Ochoa SA, Espinosa-Mazariego K, Hernández-Castro R, Xicohtencatl-Cortes J. Tracking Bioluminescent ETEC during In vivo BALB/c Mouse Colonization. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:187. [PMID: 28560186 PMCID: PMC5432549 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a leading cause of diarrhea worldwide. Adhesion to the human intestinal tract is crucial for colonization. ETEC adhesive structures have been extensively studied; however, colonization dynamics remain uncharacterized. The aim of this study was to track bioluminescent ETEC during in vivo infection. The promoter region of dnaK was fused with the luc gene, resulting in the pRMkluc vector. E. coli K-12 and ETEC FMU073332 strains were electroporated with pRMkluc. E. coli K-12 pRMkluc was bioluminescent; in contrast, the E. coli K-12 control strain did not emit bioluminescence. The highest light emission was measured at 1.9 OD600 (9 h) and quantified over time. The signal was detected starting at time 0 and up to 12 h. Streptomycin-treated BALB/c mice were orogastrically inoculated with either ETEC FMU073332 pRMkluc or E. coli K-12 pRMkluc (control), and bacterial colonization was determined by measuring bacterial shedding in the feces. ETEC FMU073332 pRMkluc shedding started and stopped after inoculation of the control strain, indicating that mouse intestinal colonization by ETEC FMU073332 pRMkluc lasted longer than colonization by the control. The bioluminescence signal of ETEC FMU073332 pRMkluc was captured starting at the time of inoculation until 12 h after inoculation. The bioluminescent signal emitted by ETEC FMU073332 pRMkluc in the proximal mouse ileum was located, and the control signal was identified in the cecum. The detection of maximal light emission and bioluminescence duration allowed us to follow ETEC during in vivo infection. ETEC showed an enhanced colonization and tropism in the mouse intestine compared with those in the control strain. Here, we report the first study of ETEC colonization in the mouse intestine accompanied by in vivo imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo E Rodea
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Bacteriología Intestinal, Hospital Infantil de México Federico GómezCiudad de México, Mexico.,Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Francisco X Montiel-Infante
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Bacteriología Intestinal, Hospital Infantil de México Federico GómezCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Ariadnna Cruz-Córdova
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Bacteriología Intestinal, Hospital Infantil de México Federico GómezCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Zeus Saldaña-Ahuactzi
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Bacteriología Intestinal, Hospital Infantil de México Federico GómezCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Sara A Ochoa
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Bacteriología Intestinal, Hospital Infantil de México Federico GómezCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Karina Espinosa-Mazariego
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Bacteriología Intestinal, Hospital Infantil de México Federico GómezCiudad de México, Mexico
| | - Rigoberto Hernández-Castro
- Departamento de Ecología de Agentes Patógenos, Hospital General "Dr. Manuel Gea González"Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Juan Xicohtencatl-Cortes
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Bacteriología Intestinal, Hospital Infantil de México Federico GómezCiudad de México, Mexico
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Bozcal E, Dagdeviren M, Uzel A, Skurnik M. LuxCDE-luxAB-based promoter reporter system to monitor the Yersinia enterocolitica O:3 gene expression in vivo. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0172877. [PMID: 28235077 PMCID: PMC5325538 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It is crucial to understand the in vitro and in vivo regulation of the virulence factor genes of bacterial pathogens. In this study, we describe the construction of a versatile reporter system for Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:3 (YeO3) based on the luxCDABE operon. In strain YeO3-luxCDE we integrated the luciferase substrate biosynthetic genes, luxCDE, into the genome of the bacterium so that the substrate is constitutively produced. The luxAB genes that encode the luciferase enzyme were cloned into a suicide vector to allow cloning of any promoter-containing fragment upstream the genes. When the obtained suicide-construct is mobilized into YeO3-luxCDE bacteria, it integrates into the recipient genome via homologous recombination between the cloned promoter fragment and the genomic promoter sequence and thereby generates a single-copy and stable promoter reporter. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen (O-ag) and outer core hexasaccharide (OC) of YeO3 are virulence factors necessary to colonization of the intestine and establishment of infection. To monitor the activities of the OC and O-ag gene cluster promoters we constructed the reporter strains YeO3-Poc::luxAB and YeO3-Pop1::luxAB, respectively. In vitro, at 37°C both promoter activities were highest during logarithmic growth and decreased when the bacteria entered stationary growth phase. At 22°C the OC gene cluster promoter activity increased during the late logarithmic phase. Both promoters were more active in late stationary phase. To monitor the promoter activities in vivo, mice were infected intragastrically and the reporter activities monitored by the IVIS technology. The mouse experiments revealed that both LPS promoters were well expressed in vivo and could be detected by IVIS, mainly from the intestinal region of orally infected mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elif Bozcal
- Istanbul University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Basic and Industrial Microbiology Section, Istanbul, Turkey
- Ege University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Basic and Industrial Microbiology Section, Izmir, Turkey
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Medicum, and Research Programs Unit, Immunobiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Melih Dagdeviren
- Ege University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, General Biology Section, Izmir, Turkey
- Ege University, Center for Drug Research and Development and Pharmacokinetic Applications, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Atac Uzel
- Ege University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Basic and Industrial Microbiology Section, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Mikael Skurnik
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Medicum, and Research Programs Unit, Immunobiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Helsinki University Hospital, HUSLAB, Helsinki, Finland
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Tracy KE, Baumgarth N. Borrelia burgdorferi Manipulates Innate and Adaptive Immunity to Establish Persistence in Rodent Reservoir Hosts. Front Immunol 2017; 8:116. [PMID: 28265270 PMCID: PMC5316537 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species complex is capable of establishing persistent infections in a wide variety of species, particularly rodents. Infection is asymptomatic or mild in most reservoir host species, indicating successful co-evolution of the pathogen with its natural hosts. However, infected humans and other incidental hosts can develop Lyme disease, a serious inflammatory syndrome characterized by tissue inflammation of joints, heart, muscles, skin, and CNS. Although B. burgdorferi infection induces both innate and adaptive immune responses, they are ultimately ineffective in clearing the infection from reservoir hosts, leading to bacterial persistence. Here, we review some mechanisms by which B. burgdorferi evades the immune system of the rodent host, focusing in particular on the effects of innate immune mechanisms and recent findings suggesting that T-dependent B cell responses are subverted during infection. A better understanding of the mechanisms causing persistence in rodents may help to increase our understanding of the pathogenesis of Lyme disease and ultimately aid in the development of therapies that support effective clearance of the bacterial infection by the host’s immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen E Tracy
- Graduate Group in Immunology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; Center for Comparative Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Nicole Baumgarth
- Graduate Group in Immunology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; Center for Comparative Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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Magnetic resonance imaging of pathogenic protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Invest Radiol 2016; 50:709-18. [PMID: 26135016 DOI: 10.1097/rli.0000000000000175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to establish a noninvasive tracking of the pathogenic parasite Entamoeba histolytica (Eh) after superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) labeling by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on a single-cell level in vitro and in vivo in a mouse model for amebic liver abscess (ALA). MATERIALS AND METHODS Local institutional review committee on animal care approved all animal experiments. Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites were labeled with SPIO nanoparticles (SPIO-Eh). The uptake of SPIO by Eh was optimized using flow cytometry and visualized by bright field, fluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy. The viability of SPIO-Eh was assessed in vitro by determination of growth and ingestion rate of red blood cells. Migration of SPIO-Eh was proven by in vitro MRI in a preclinical 7 T MRI system using continually repeated MRI scans. In vivo distribution of SPIO-Eh within the mouse liver was assessed qualitatively and quantitatively by serial respiration-triggered T2*-weighted MRI, T2-weighted MRI, and R2* MR relaxometry up to 5 days after injection and correlated with immunohistology of the liver sections after removal. RESULTS Entamoeba histolytica can be efficiently labeled with SPIO without influence on parasite growth rate or phagocytic capacity. In vitro dynamic MRI allowed real-time migration monitoring and determination of velocity of single SPIO-Eh. In vivo SPIO-Eh showed signal decrease in T2*-weighted and increase of R2* in ALA formations. Motility of SPIO-Eh was necessary to induce ALA formations. CONCLUSIONS The present study demonstrates the feasibility of an efficient magnetic labeling and a noninvasive in vitro and in vivo MR tracking of the pathogenic protozoan Eh in a mouse model for ALA, thus representing in future a noninvasive imaging tool to study parasite, as well as on host-specific pathomechanisms.
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Martínez-Chavarría LC. Yersinia pestis-Host Immune Cells Interactions at Early Events During Bubonic Plague Infection. CURRENT TROPICAL MEDICINE REPORTS 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s40475-016-0071-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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16
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Flick-Smith HC, Commander NJ, Scott AE, Thomas RJ, Brown MA, Richards MI, Scott JC, Martin KR, Harding SV, Atkins HS. Establishing an In Vivo Imaging Capability in High-Containment. APPLIED BIOSAFETY 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/1535676016631878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andrew E. Scott
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
| | | | - Mark A. Brown
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
| | - Mark I. Richards
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
| | - Joanne C. Scott
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
| | - Kevin R. Martin
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
| | - Sarah V. Harding
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
| | - Helen S. Atkins
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
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A Deadly Path: Bacterial Spread During Bubonic Plague. Trends Microbiol 2016; 24:239-241. [PMID: 26875618 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2016.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Revised: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis causes bubonic plague, a fulminant disease where host immune responses are abrogated. Recently developed in vivo models of plague have resulted in new ideas regarding bacterial spread in the body. Deciphering bacterial spread is key to understanding Y. pestis and the immune responses it encounters during infection.
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Yang R, Cui Y, Bi Y. Perspectives on Yersinia pestis: A Model for Studying Zoonotic Pathogens. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 918:377-391. [PMID: 27722871 DOI: 10.1007/978-94-024-0890-4_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis is a typical zoonotic bacterial pathogen. The following reasons make this pathogen a model for studying zoonotic pathogens: (1) Its unique lifestyle makes Y. pestis an ideal model for studying host-vector-environment-pathogen interactions; (2) population diversity characters in Y. pestis render it a model species for studying monomorphic bacterial evolution; (3) the pathogenic features of bacteria provide us with good opportunities to study human immune responses; (4) typical animal and vector models of Y. pestis infection create opportunities for experimental studies on pathogenesis and evolution; and (5) repeated pandemics and local outbreaks provide us with clues about the infectious disease outbreaks that have occurred in human history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruifu Yang
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Yujun Cui
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Yujing Bi
- Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China
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Violacein as a genetically-controlled, enzymatically amplified and photobleaching-resistant chromophore for optoacoustic bacterial imaging. Sci Rep 2015; 5:11048. [PMID: 26091543 PMCID: PMC4473533 DOI: 10.1038/srep11048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 05/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing interest in genetically expressed reporters for in vivo studies of bacterial colonization in the context of infectious disease research, studies of the bacterial microbiome or cancer imaging and treatment. To empower non-invasive high-resolution bacterial tracking with deep tissue penetration, we herein use the genetically controlled biosynthesis of the deep-purple pigment Violacein as a photobleaching-resistant chromophore label for in vivo optoacoustic (photoacoustic) imaging in the near-infrared range. We demonstrate that Violacein-producing bacteria can be imaged with high contrast-to-noise in strongly vascularized xenografted murine tumors and further observe that Violacein shows anti-tumoral activity. Our experiments thus identify Violacein as a robust bacterial label for non-invasive optoacoustic imaging with high potential for basic research and future theranostic applications in bacterial tumor targeting.
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Tan S, Gan C, Li R, Ye Y, Zhang S, Wu X, Yang YY, Fan W, Wu M. A novel chemosynthetic peptide with β-sheet motif efficiently kills Klebsiella pneumoniae in a mouse model. Int J Nanomedicine 2015; 10:1045-59. [PMID: 25709431 PMCID: PMC4330034 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s73303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is one of the most common pathogens in nosocomial infections and is increasingly becoming multiple drug resistant. However, the molecular pathogenesis of Kp in causing tissue injury and dysregulated host defense remains elusive, further dampening the development of novel therapeutic measures. We have previously screened a series of synthetic antimicrobial beta-sheet forming peptides and identified a peptide (IRIKIRIK; ie, IK8L) with a broad range of bactericidal activity and low cytotoxicity in vitro. Here, employing an animal model, we investigated the antibacterial effects of IK8L in acute infection and demonstrated that peritoneal injection of IK8L to mice down-regulated inflammatory cytokines, alleviated lung injury, and importantly, decreased mortality compared to sham-injected controls. In addition, a math model was used to evaluate in vivo imaging data and predict infection progression in infected live animals. Mechanistically, IK8L can kill Kp by inhibiting biofilm formation and modulating production of inflammatory cytokines through the STAT3/JAK signaling both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, these findings reveal that IK8L may have potential for preventing or treating Kp infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirui Tan
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA ; Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, People's Republic of China
| | - Changpei Gan
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA ; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Rongpeng Li
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Yan Ye
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA ; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu Wu
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Yi Yan Yang
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The Nanos, Singapore
| | - Weimin Fan
- Program of Innovative Cancer Therapeutics, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
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Gonzalez RJ, Lane MC, Wagner NJ, Weening EH, Miller VL. Dissemination of a highly virulent pathogen: tracking the early events that define infection. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1004587. [PMID: 25611317 PMCID: PMC4303270 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 11/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The series of events that occurs immediately after pathogen entrance into the body is largely speculative. Key aspects of these events are pathogen dissemination and pathogen interactions with the immune response as the invader moves into deeper tissues. We sought to define major events that occur early during infection of a highly virulent pathogen. To this end, we tracked early dissemination of Yersinia pestis, a highly pathogenic bacterium that causes bubonic plague in mammals. Specifically, we addressed two fundamental questions: (1) do the bacteria encounter barriers in disseminating to draining lymph nodes (LN), and (2) what mechanism does this nonmotile bacterium use to reach the LN compartment, as the prevailing model predicts trafficking in association with host cells. Infection was followed through microscopy imaging in addition to assessing bacterial population dynamics during dissemination from the skin. We found and characterized an unexpected bottleneck that severely restricts bacterial dissemination to LNs. The bacteria that do not pass through this bottleneck are confined to the skin, where large numbers of neutrophils arrive and efficiently control bacterial proliferation. Notably, bottleneck formation is route dependent, as it is abrogated after subcutaneous inoculation. Using a combination of approaches, including microscopy imaging, we tested the prevailing model of bacterial dissemination from the skin into LNs and found no evidence of involvement of migrating phagocytes in dissemination. Thus, early stages of infection are defined by a bottleneck that restricts bacterial dissemination and by neutrophil-dependent control of bacterial proliferation in the skin. Furthermore, and as opposed to current models, our data indicate an intracellular stage is not required by Y. pestis to disseminate from the skin to draining LNs. Because our findings address events that occur during early encounters of pathogen with the immune response, this work can inform efforts to prevent or control infection. The earliest stage of any infection takes place when a pathogen enters the body (inoculation) at an initial site of contact. From this point, the pathogen can spread into deeper tissues where the pathogen itself and the immune responses against it cause disease. Very little is known about the events that follow inoculation and how pathogens move from the initial site of contact into deeper tissues. A better understanding of this process can potentially result in strategies to control or prevent disease. We studied the highly infectious bacterium that causes bubonic plague (Yersinia pestis) and how it spreads inside the body, from the skin into lymph nodes. We found that movement from the skin is highly restricted as only a small fraction of the bacteria that are deposited into this tissue are found in lymph nodes. While it is currently thought that Y. pestis spreads from the skin inside trafficking cells of the innate immune response, our work suggests these cells are not required for the bacteria to move into lymph nodes. Our findings can influence vaccine development efforts as these strategies are based on the study of early pathogen interactions with cells of the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo J. Gonzalez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - M. Chelsea Lane
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Nikki J. Wagner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Eric H. Weening
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Virginia L. Miller
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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22
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The impact of "omic" and imaging technologies on assessing the host immune response to biodefence agents. J Immunol Res 2014; 2014:237043. [PMID: 25333059 PMCID: PMC4182007 DOI: 10.1155/2014/237043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Revised: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the interactions between host and pathogen is important for the development and assessment of medical countermeasures to infectious agents, including potential biodefence pathogens such as Bacillus anthracis, Ebola virus, and Francisella tularensis. This review focuses on technological advances which allow this interaction to be studied in much greater detail. Namely, the use of “omic” technologies (next generation sequencing, DNA, and protein microarrays) for dissecting the underlying host response to infection at the molecular level; optical imaging techniques (flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy) for assessing cellular responses to infection; and biophotonic imaging for visualising the infectious disease process. All of these technologies hold great promise for important breakthroughs in the rational development of vaccines and therapeutics for biodefence agents.
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Huang YK, Chu C, Wu CH, Chen CL, Chiu CH. Evaluation of Gram-negative bacterial infection by a stable and conjugative bioluminescence plasmid in a mouse model. J Biomed Sci 2014; 21:78. [PMID: 25135473 PMCID: PMC4237811 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-014-0078-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 08/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The green fluorescence protein (GFP)-associated fluorescence method and the luciferase-associated bioluminescence method are the two major methods for IVIS imaging system to investigate the bacterial infection in animal models. The aim of this study was to evaluate the infection route of Gram-negative bacteria carrying a stable and broad range of conjugative bioluminescence plasmid pSE-Lux1 in a mouse model. Results Both encapsulated and non-encapsulated Gram-negative bacteria were used as hosts to evaluate conjugation efficiency and plasmid stability of pSE-Lux1, a recombinant of pSE34 and luxABCDE operon. The plasmid conjugation efficiencies of pSE-Lux1 ranged from 10−3 to 10−7 in various Gram-negative bacteria. Plasmid pSE-Lux1 maintained in Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella enterica serovars Choleraesues (abbreviated S. Choleraesuis) and Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium), than in Acinetobacter baumannii and Serratia marcescens, was shown to be of better stability for at least four days. To investigate systemic bacterial infections, K. pneumoniae strain CG354 was intravenously injected, and then was clearly observed to be non-pathogenic to Balb/c mice for a long-term bioluminescence monitoring for 6 days. For examining dynamic distributions of gastrointestinal tract infection, the invasion protein SipB-deficient mutant OU5045△sipB and OU5046△sipB of S. serovar Typhimurium constructed in this study, compared to wild-type strain OU5045 and its virulence plasmid-less strain OU5046, were of less virulence to mice. Conclusions This is the first study to evaluate the conjugative and stable bioluminescence vehicle system of pSE-Lux1 in a wide range of Gram-negative bacteria, a system that can provide a useful reporter approach to trace systemic and gastrointestinal bacterial infections in a mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Chyi-Liang Chen
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Campbell J, Huang Y, Liu Y, Schenken R, Arulanandam B, Zhong G. Bioluminescence imaging of Chlamydia muridarum ascending infection in mice. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101634. [PMID: 24983626 PMCID: PMC4077820 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2014] [Accepted: 06/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydial pathogenicity in the upper genital tract relies on chlamydial ascending from the lower genital tract. To monitor chlamydial ascension, we engineered a luciferase-expressing C. muridarum. In cells infected with the luciferase-expressing C. muridarum, luciferase gene expression and enzymatic activity (measured as bioluminescence intensity) correlated well along the infection course, suggesting that bioluminescence can be used for monitoring chlamydial replication. Following an intravaginal inoculation with the luciferase-expressing C. muridarum, 8 of 10 mice displayed bioluminescence signal in the lower with 4 also in the upper genital tracts on day 3 after infection. By day 7, all 10 mice developed bioluminescence signal in the upper genital tracts. The bioluminescence signal was maintained in the upper genital tract in 6 and 2 mice by days 14 and 21, respectively. The bioluminescence signal was no longer detectable in any of the mice by day 28. The whole body imaging approach also revealed an unexpected airway infection following the intravaginal inoculation. Although the concomitant airway infection was transient and did not significantly alter the genital tract infection time courses, caution should be taken during data interpretation. The above observations have demonstrated that C. muridarum can not only achieve rapid ascending infection in the genital tract but also cause airway infection following a genital tract inoculation. These findings have laid a foundation for further optimizing the C. muridarum intravaginal infection murine model for understanding chlamydial pathogenic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Campbell
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Yumeng Huang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Yuanjun Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Robert Schenken
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Bernard Arulanandam
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Guangming Zhong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
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Li X, Zhou X, Li Y, Li J, Privratsky B, Ye Y, Wu E, Gao H, Huang C, Wu M. Lyn regulates inflammatory responses in Klebsiella pneumoniae infection via the p38/NF-κB pathway. Eur J Immunol 2014; 44:763-73. [PMID: 24338528 PMCID: PMC4103995 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201343972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2013] [Revised: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is one of the most common pathogens in nosocomial infections and is becoming increasingly multidrug resistant. However, the underlying molecular pathogenesis of this bacterium remains elusive, limiting the therapeutic options. Understanding the mechanism of its pathogenesis may facilitate the development of anti-bacterial therapeutics. Here, we show that Lyn, a pleiotropic Src tyrosine kinase, is involved in host defense against Kp by regulating phagocytosis process and simultaneously downregulating inflammatory responses. Using acute infection mouse models, we observed that lyn(-/-) mice were more susceptible to Kp with increased mortality and severe lung injury compared with WT mice. Kp infected-lyn(-/-) mice exhibited elevated inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), and increased superoxide in the lung and other organs. In addition, the phosphorylation of p38 and NF-κB p65 subunit increased markedly in response to Kp infection in lyn(-/-) mice. We also demonstrated that the translocation of p65 from cytoplasm to nuclei increased in cultured murine lung epithelial cells by Lyn siRNA knockdown. Furthermore, lipid rafts clustered with activated Lyn and accumulated in the site of Kp invasion. Taken together, these findings revealed that Lyn may participate in host defense against Kp infection through the negative modulation of inflammatory cytokines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefeng Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203-9037, USA
| | - Xikun Zhou
- The State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203-9037, USA
| | - Yi Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203-9037, USA
| | - Jiaxin Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203-9037, USA
| | - Breanna Privratsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203-9037, USA
| | - Yan Ye
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203-9037, USA
| | - Erxi Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | - Hongwei Gao
- Center for Experimental Therapeutics and Reperfusion Injury, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Canhua Huang
- The State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203-9037, USA
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Zhou J, Bi Y, Xu X, Qiu Y, Wang Q, Feng N, Cui Y, Yan Y, Zhou L, Tan Y, Yang H, Du Z, Han Y, Song Y, Zhang P, Zhou D, Cheng Y, Zhou Y, Yang R, Wang X. Bioluminescent tracking of colonization and clearance dynamics of plasmid-deficient Yersinia pestis strains in a mouse model of septicemic plague. Microbes Infect 2014; 16:214-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2013.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2013] [Revised: 11/04/2013] [Accepted: 11/27/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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In vitro and in vivo bioluminescent imaging to evaluate anti-Escherichia coli activity of Galla Chinensis. Biomedicine (Taipei) 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomed.2013.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
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Hoerr V, Tuchscherr L, Hüve J, Nippe N, Loser K, Glyvuk N, Tsytsyura Y, Holtkamp M, Sunderkötter C, Karst U, Klingauf J, Peters G, Löffler B, Faber C. Bacteria tracking by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging. BMC Biol 2013; 11:63. [PMID: 23714179 PMCID: PMC3686665 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-11-63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Different non-invasive real-time imaging techniques have been developed over the last decades to study bacterial pathogenic mechanisms in mouse models by following infections over a time course. In vivo investigations of bacterial infections previously relied mostly on bioluminescence imaging (BLI), which is able to localize metabolically active bacteria, but provides no data on the status of the involved organs in the infected host organism. In this study we established an in vivo imaging platform by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for tracking bacteria in mouse models of infection to study infection biology of clinically relevant bacteria. Results We have developed a method to label Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with iron oxide nano particles and detected and pursued these with MRI. The key step for successful labeling was to manipulate the bacterial surface charge by producing electro-competent cells enabling charge interactions between the iron particles and the cell wall. Different particle sizes and coatings were tested for their ability to attach to the cell wall and possible labeling mechanisms were elaborated by comparing Gram-positive and -negative bacterial characteristics. With 5-nm citrate-coated particles an iron load of 0.015 ± 0.002 pg Fe/bacterial cell was achieved for Staphylococcus aureus. In both a subcutaneous and a systemic infection model induced by iron-labeled S. aureus bacteria, high resolution MR images allowed for bacterial tracking and provided information on the morphology of organs and the inflammatory response. Conclusion Labeled with iron oxide particles, in vivo detection of small S. aureus colonies in infection models is feasible by MRI and provides a versatile tool to follow bacterial infections in vivo. The established cell labeling strategy can easily be transferred to other bacterial species and thus provides a conceptual advance in the field of molecular MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Hoerr
- Department of Clinical Radiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
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