inlF Enhances Listeria monocytogenes Early-Stage Infection by Inhibiting the Inflammatory Response

[Characteristics of intestinal microbiota in the acute phase of Kawasaki disease in infants and children]

OBJECTIVES

To study the composition, abundance, and functional profiles of the intestinal microbiota in infants and young children with Kawasaki disease (KD) during the acute phase, and to explore the potential role of intestinal microbiota in the pathogenesis of KD.

METHODS

Six children aged 0-3 years with acute KD admitted to the Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics from July to October 2021 were prospectively included as the KD group. Six age- and sex-matched healthy children who underwent physical examinations at the hospital during the same period were selected as the healthy control group. Metagenomics sequencing was used to detect and compare the differences in the microflora structure and functional profiles of fecal samples between the two groups.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in the structural composition and diversity of intestinal microbiota between the two groups (P<0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, the abundance of Listeria_monocytogenes (family Listeriaceae and genus Listeria), Bifidobacterium_rousetti, Enterococcus_avium, and Enterococcus_hirae was significantly higher in the intestinal microbiota in the KD group (|LDA|>2.0, P<0.05). The steroid degradation and apoptosis pathways were significantly upregulated in the KD group compared with the healthy control group, while the Bacterial_secretion_system, Sulfur_metabolism, Butanoate_metabolism, Benzoate_degradation, β-alanine metabolism, and α-linolenic acid pathways were significantly downregulated (|LDA|>2, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There are significant differences in the structure and diversity of intestinal microbiota between children aged 0-3 years with acute KD and healthy children, suggesting that disturbances in intestinal microbiota occur during the acute phase of KD. In particular, Listeria_monocytogenes, Enterococcus_avium, and Enterococcus_hirae may be involved in the pathogenesis of KD through steroid degradation and apoptosis pathways.

High density genomic surveillance and risk profiling of clinical Listeria monocytogenes subtypes in Germany

BACKGROUND

Foodborne infections such as listeriosis caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes represent a significant public health concern, particularly when outbreaks affect many individuals over prolonged time. Systematic collection of pathogen isolates from infected patients, whole genome sequencing (WGS) and phylogenetic analyses allow recognition and termination of outbreaks after source identification and risk profiling of abundant lineages.

METHODS

We here present a multi-dimensional analysis of > 1800 genome sequences from clinical L. monocytogenes isolates collected in Germany between 2018 and 2021. Different WGS-based subtyping methods were used to determine the population structure with its main phylogenetic sublineages as well as for identification of disease clusters. Clinical frequencies of materno-foetal and brain infections and in vitro infection experiments were used for risk profiling of the most abundant sublineages. These sublineages and large disease clusters were further characterised in terms of their genetic and epidemiological properties.

RESULTS

The collected isolates covered 62% of all notified cases and belonged to 188 infection clusters. Forty-two percent of these clusters were active for > 12 months, 60% generated cases cross-regionally, including 11 multinational clusters. Thirty-seven percent of the clusters were caused by sequence type (ST) ST6, ST8 and ST1 clones. ST1 was identified as hyper- and ST8, ST14, ST29 as well as ST155 as hypovirulent, while ST6 had average virulence potential. Inactivating mutations were found in several virulence and house-keeping genes, particularly in hypovirulent STs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our work presents an in-depth analysis of the genomic characteristics of L. monocytogenes isolates that cause disease in Germany. It supports prioritisation of disease clusters for epidemiological investigations and reinforces the need to analyse the mechanisms underlying hyper- and hypovirulence.

Comparative Analysis of Growth, Survival, and Virulence Characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes Isolated from Imported Meat

Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen with worldwide prevalence. Understanding the variability in the potential pathogenicity among strains of different subtypes is crucial for risk assessment. In this study, the growth, survival, and virulence characteristics of 16 L. monocytogenes strains isolated from imported meat in China (2018-2020) were investigated. The maximum specific growth rate (μmax) and lag phase (λ) were evaluated using the time-to-detection (TTD) method and the Baranyi model at different temperatures (25, 30, and 37 °C). Survival characteristics were determined by D-values and population reduction after exposure to heat (60, 62.5, and 65 °C) and acid (HCl, pH = 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5). The potential virulence was evaluated via adhesion and invasion to Caco-2 cells, motility, and lethality to Galleria mellonella. The potential pathogenicity was compared among strains of different lineages and subtypes. The results indicate that the lineage I strains exhibited a higher growth rate than the lineage II strains at three growth temperatures, particularly serotype 4b within lineage I. At all temperatures tested, serotypes 1/2a and 1/2b consistently demonstrated higher heat resistance than the other subtypes. No significant differences in the log reduction were observed between the lineage I and lineage II strains at pH 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5. However, the serotype 1/2c strains exhibited significantly low acid resistance at pH 2.5. In terms of virulence, the lineage I strains outperformed the lineage II strains. The invasion rate to Caco-2 cells and lethality to G. mellonella exhibited by the serotype 4b strains were higher than those observed in the other serotypes. This study provides meaningful insights into the growth, survival, and virulence of L. monocytogenes, offering valuable information for understanding the correlation between the pathogenicity and subtypes of L. monocytogenes.

Diverse Listeria monocytogenes in-house clones are present in a dynamic frozen vegetable processing environment

Listeria (L.) monocytogenes is of global concern for food safety as the listeriosis-causing pathogen is widely distributed in the food processing environments, where it can survive for a long time. Frozen vegetables contaminated with L. monocytogenes were recently identified as the source of two large listeriosis outbreaks in the EU and US. So far, only a few studies have investigated the occurrence and behavior of Listeria in frozen vegetables and the associated processing environment. This study investigates the occurrence of L. monocytogenes and other Listeria spp. in a frozen vegetable processing environment and in frozen vegetable products. Using whole genome sequencing (WGS), the distribution of sequence types (MLST-STs) and core genome sequence types (cgMLST-CT) of L. monocytogenes were assessed, and in-house clones were identified. Comparative genomic analyses and phenotypical characterization of the different MLST-STs and isolates were performed, including growth ability under low temperatures, as well as survival of freeze-thaw cycles. Listeria were widely disseminated in the processing environment and five in-house clones namely ST451-CT4117, ST20-CT3737, ST8-CT1349, ST8-CT6243, ST224-CT5623 were identified among L. monocytogenes isolates present in environmental swab samples. Subsequently, the identified in-house clones were also detected in product samples. Conveyor belts were a major source of contamination in the processing environment. A wide repertoire of stress resistance markers supported the colonization and survival of L. monocytogenes in the frozen vegetable processing facility. The presence of ArgB was significantly associated with in-house clones. Significant differences were also observed in the growth rate between different MLST-STs at low temperatures (4 °C and 10 °C), but not between in-house and non-in-house isolates. All isolates harbored major virulence genes such as full length InlA and InlB and LIPI-1, yet there were differences between MLST-STs in the genomic content. The results of this study demonstrate that WGS is a strong tool for tracing contamination sources and transmission routes, and for identifying in-house clones. Further research targeting the co-occurring microbiota and the presence of biofilms is needed to fully understand the mechanism of colonization and persistence in a food processing environment.

Polyphenols: a route from bioavailability to bioactivity addressing potential health benefits to tackle human chronic diseases

Chronic pathologies or non-communicable diseases (NCDs) include cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, neurological diseases, respiratory disorders and cancer. They are the leading global cause of human mortality and morbidity. Given their chronic nature, NCDs represent a growing social and economic burden, hence urging the need for ameliorating the existing preventive strategies, and for finding novel tackling therapies. NCDs are highly correlated with unhealthy lifestyle habits (such as high-fat and high-glucose diet, or sedentary life). In general, lifestyle approaches that might improve these habits, including dietary consumption of fresh vegetables, fruits and fibers, may contrast NCD symptoms and prolong life expectancy of affected people. Polyphenols (PPLs) are plant-derived molecules with demonstrated biological activities in humans, which include: radical scavenging and anti-oxidant activities, capability to modulate inflammation, as well as human enzymes, and even to bind nuclear receptors. For these reasons, PPLs are currently tested, both preclinically and clinically, as dietary adjuvants for the prevention and treatment of NCDs. In this review, we describe the human metabolism and bioactivity of PPLs. Also, we report what is currently known about PPLs interaction with gastro-intestinal enzymes and gut microbiota, which allows their biotransformation in many different metabolites with several biological functions. The systemic bioactivity of PPLs and the newly available PPL-delivery nanosystems are also described in detail. Finally, the up-to-date clinical studies assessing both safety and efficacy of dietary PPLs in individuals with different NCDs are hereby reported. Overall, the clinical results support the notion that PPLs from fruits, vegetables, but also from leaves or seeds extracts, are safe and show significant positive results in ameliorating symptoms and improving the whole quality of life of people with NCDs.

Listeria monocytogenes-How This Pathogen Uses Its Virulence Mechanisms to Infect the Hosts

Listeriosis is a serious food-borne illness, especially in susceptible populations, including children, pregnant women, and elderlies. The disease can occur in two forms: non-invasive febrile gastroenteritis and severe invasive listeriosis with septicemia, meningoencephalitis, perinatal infections, and abortion. Expression of each symptom depends on various bacterial virulence factors, immunological status of the infected person, and the number of ingested bacteria. Internalins, mainly InlA and InlB, invasins (invasin A, LAP), and other surface adhesion proteins (InlP1, InlP4) are responsible for epithelial cell binding, whereas internalin C (InlC) and actin assembly-inducing protein (ActA) are involved in cell-to-cell bacterial spread. L. monocytogenes is able to disseminate through the blood and invade diverse host organs. In persons with impaired immunity, the elderly, and pregnant women, the pathogen can also cross the blood-brain and placental barriers, which results in the invasion of the central nervous system and fetus infection, respectively. The aim of this comprehensive review is to summarize the current knowledge on the epidemiology of listeriosis and L. monocytogenes virulence mechanisms that are involved in host infection, with a special focus on their molecular and cellular aspects. We believe that all this information is crucial for a better understanding of the pathogenesis of L. monocytogenes infection.

Different Involvement of Vimentin during Invasion by Listeria monocytogenes at the Blood–Brain and the Blood–Cerebrospinal Fluid Barriers In Vitro

The human central nervous system (CNS) is separated from the blood by distinct cellular barriers, including the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and the blood–cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) barrier (BCSFB). Whereas at the center of the BBB are the endothelial cells of the brain capillaries, the BCSFB is formed by the epithelium of the choroid plexus. Invasion of cells of either the BBB or the BCSFB is a potential first step during CNS entry by the Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes (Lm). Lm possesses several virulence factors mediating host cell entry, such as the internalin protein family—including internalin (InlA), which binds E-cadherin (Ecad) on the surface of target cells, and internalin B (InlB)—interacting with the host cell receptor tyrosine kinase Met. A further family member is internalin (InlF), which targets the intermediate filament protein vimentin. Whereas InlF has been shown to play a role during brain invasion at the BBB, its function during infection at the BCSFB is not known. We use human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) and human choroid plexus epithelial papilloma (HIBCPP) cells to investigate the roles of InlF and vimentin during CNS invasion by Lm. Whereas HBMEC present intracellular and surface vimentin (besides Met), HIBCPP cells do not express vimentin (except Met and Ecad). Treatment with the surface vimentin modulator withaferin A (WitA) inhibited invasion of Lm into HBMEC, but not HIBCPP cells. Invasion of Lm into HBMEC and HIBCPP cells is, however, independent of InlF, since a deletion mutant of Lm lacking InlF did not display reduced invasion rates.

First Report of Septicaemic Listeriosis in a Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) Stranded along the Adriatic Coast: Strain Detection and Sequencing

Although there are increasing reports on the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in wild species, this is the first case of listeriosis in sea turtle. An adult female Caretta caretta was rescued after being stranded alive along the coast of the Abruzzo region (Italy) in summer 2021. The turtle died in 6 days due to respiratory failure. The necropsy showed widespread organ lesions, such as yellow foci of necrosis in many organs, gastrointestinal erosions, pericarditis, and granulomatous pneumonia. Microbiological and histological analyses were performed on several organs. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from multiple organs, indicating a case of septicaemic listeriosis, and the genome was sequenced and characterized. All the colonies analysed belonged to the same strain serogroup IVb, ST388, and CC388.

Probiotic Formulations: A Patent Landscaping Using the Text Mining Approach

The outstanding research outcomes and registrations of myriads of probiotic strains have flooded the health market with various innovative probiotic-based products and their patents. The study of patented formulations of probiotics can give an overall insight into its existing application. A landscaping review of patents for probiotic-based preparations is presented in the current work. The patent search was performed over commercially available patent databased and analysis tool-PatSeer Pro®. Search strings containing words "Formulation" and "Composition" resulted in more than 3700 patents. Landscaping review of 400 + patents from the last 20 years (2000-2020) was performed using the Text-Mining approach. Text-Mining helped to identify 19 technological clusters which represent these patents. These clusters include the patents of probiotic preparations on animal feed, human food, cosmetics, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, arthritis, etc. A review of this massive number of patents unveiled many exciting preparations. Probiotic-based innovative products for depression, diabetes, Parkinson's, tumor, acne, and animal husbandry are reviewed comprehensively. The present work also unravels a few new-flanged products like probiotic layered condoms, products for acute alcoholism, and traditional Chinese medicine with probiotics. The patent landscape of probiotic-based preparations has presented a whole scenario of probiotic-based preparations. It has also revealed many unexplored areas where innovation can be excelled.