Real-time monitoring of HT29 epithelial cells as an in vitro model for assessing functional differences among intestinal microbiotas from different human population groups

Several in vitro screening tests have been used for selecting probiotic strains; however they often show low predictive value and only a limited number of strains have demonstrated functionality in vivo. The most used in vitro tests represent a very simplified version of the gut environment, especially since they do not consider the accompanying microbiota. Therefore, there is a need to develop sensitive and discriminating in vitro models including the microbiota. Here we developed an in vitro model to discriminate among microbiotas/fecal waters from different population groups. To this end samples were obtained from seven healthy adults, five IBD-patients, ten full-term and ten preterm newborns. Fecal microbiotas were purified and their impact, as well as that of the fecal waters, on HT29 cells was continuously monitored for 22 h using a real-time cell analyzer (RTCA). The composition of the purified microbiotas was assessed by 16S rRNA gene profiling and qPCR and the levels of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) determined by gas chromatography. The microbiota fractions and SCFA concentrations obtained from IBD-patients, full-term and preterm babies, showed clear differences with regard to those of the control group (healthy adults). Moreover, the purified intestinal microbiotas and fecal waters also differed from the control group in the response induced on the HT29 cells assay developed. In short, we have developed a real-time, impedance-based in vitro model for assessing the functional response induced by purified microbiotas and fecal waters upon intestinal epithelial cells. The capability of the assay for discriminating the functional responses induced, by microbiotas or fecal waters from different human groups, promises to be of help on the search for compounds/strains to restore the functionality of the microbiota-host's interaction.

Adhesive and chemokine stimulatory properties of potentially probiotic Lactobacillus strains

Five Lactobacillus plantarum strains and two Lactobacillus johnsonii strains, stemming either from African traditionally fermented milk products or children's feces, were investigated for probiotic properties in vitro. The relationship between the hydrophobic-hydrophilic cell surface and adhesion ability to HT29 intestinal epithelial cells was investigated, and results indicated that especially the L. johnsonii strains, which exhibited both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surface characteristics, adhered well to HT29 cells. Four L. plantarum and two L. johnsonii strains showed high adherence to HT29 cells, generally higher than that of the probiotic control strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Most strains with high adhesion ability also showed high autoaggregation ability. The two L. johnsonii strains coaggregated well with the intestinal pathogens Listeria monocytogenes Scott A, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 14028. The L. plantarum BFE 1685 and L. johnsonii 6128 strains furthermore inhibited the adhesion of at least two of these intestinal pathogens in coculture with HT29 cells in a strain-dependent way. These two potential probiotic strains also significantly increased interleukin-8 (IL-8) chemokine production by HT29 cells, although modulation of other cytokines, such as IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), did not occur. Altogether, our results suggested that L. plantarum BFE 1685 and L. johnsonii BFE 6128 showed good adherence, coaggregated with pathogens, and stimulated chemokine production of intestinal epithelial cells, traits that may be considered promising for their development as probiotic strains.

Inactivation of adhesion and invasion of food-borne Listeria monocytogenes by bacteriocin-producing Bifidobacterium strains of human origin

Three bacteriocin-producing bifidobacterial isolates from newborns were identified as Bifidobacterium thermacidophilum (two strains) and B. thermophilum (one strain). This study was undertaken to evaluate the ability of these strains to compete with food-borne Listeria monocytogenes for adhesion and invasion sites on Caco-2 and HT-29 cells. The bifidobacteria adhered at levels ranging from 4% to 10% of the CFU added, but none of the bifidobacteria were able to invade cells. The abilities of Listeria to adhere to and to invade cells varied widely depending on the strain tested. Three groups of Listeria were identified based on invasiveness: weakly invasive, moderately invasive, and highly invasive strains. One strain from each group was tested in competition with bifidobacteria. B. thermacidophilum RBL70 was the most effective in blocking invasion of Listeria, and the decreases in invasion ranged from 38% to 90%. For all three bifidobacterial strains, contact between the cell monolayer and the bifidobacteria for 1 h before exposure to Listeria increased the degree of inhibition. Finally, visualization of competition for adhesion sites on cells by fluorescent in situ hybridization suggested that the two bacteria tended to adhere in close proximity.

Adherence of yeast and filamentous forms of Candida albicans to cultured enterocytes

OBJECTIVE

Systemic candidiasis is a major cause of complicating infections in intensive care units. Morbidity and mortality are high, even in those who receive appropriate antifungal therapy. Because the intestinal tract is considered a major portal of entry for systemic candidiasis, experiments were designed to clarify the ability of yeast and filamentous forms, as well as the INT1 gene product, to influence adherence of Candida albicans to the intestinal epithelium.

DESIGN

Controlled.

SETTING

University teaching hospital research laboratory.

SUBJECTS

Mature Caco-2 and HT-29 cultured enterocytes.

INTERVENTIONS

C. albicans INT1 mutant strains, defective in filament production, were used to observe the ultrastructural surface interactions of C. albicans with cultured intestinal epithelial cells, namely Caco-2 and HT-29 cells. These mutant strains also were used to quantify the effect of the INT1 gene product on C. albicans adherence (yeast and filamentous forms) to cultured enterocytes. Ultrastructural surface interactions of C. albicans with cultured enterocytes were observed with high resolution scanning electron microscopy. C. albicans adherence to cultured enterocytes was quantified by using a colorimetric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Both yeast and filamentous forms of C. albicans appeared tightly adherent to the apical surface of cultured enterocytes, and INT1 appeared to have little, if any, effect on these ultrastructural surface interactions. The distal ends of C. albicans filaments appeared to mediate adherence to enterocyte apical microvilli, and thigmotropism (contact guidance) appeared to play a role in C. albicans adherence. The absence of functional INT1 was associated with decreased adherence of C. albicans yeast forms to cultured enterocytes.

CONCLUSIONS

Although functional INT1 appeared to facilitate adherence of C. albicans yeast forms to cultured enterocytes, the role of INT1 in adherence of filamentous forms was unclear, and both yeast and filamentous forms could adhere to, and perhaps invade, the apical surface of cultured enterocytes.

Effect of whey-based culture supernatant of Lactobacillus acidophilus (johnsonii) La1 on Helicobacter pylori infection in humans

BACKGROUND

Specific strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus are known to inhibit intestinal cell adhesion and invasion by enterovirulent bacteria. As L. acidophilus can survive transiently in the human stomach, it may downregulate Helicobacter pylori infection.

METHODS

The ability of L. acidophilus (johnsonii) La1 supernatant to interfere with H. pylori bacterial growth, urease activity, and adhesion to epithelial cells was tested in vitro. Its effect on H. pylori infection in volunteers was monitored in a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial, using a drinkable, whey-based, La1 culture supernatant. H. pylori infected volunteers were treated 14 days with 50 ml of La1 supernatant four times a day combined with either omeprazole 20 mg four times a day or with placebo. Infection was assessed by breath test, endoscopy, and biopsy sampling, performed at inclusion, immediately at the end of the treatment (breath test only), and 4 weeks after the end of the treatment.

RESULTS

La1 supernatant inhibited H. pylori growth in vitro, regardless of previous binding of H. pylori to epithelial cells. In 20 subjects (8 females, 12 males, mean age 33.1 years) a marked decrease in breath test values was observed immediately after treatment with La1 supernatant, both in the omeprazole and in the placebo group (median 12.3 vs. 28.8 and 9.4 vs. 20.4, respectively; p < 0.03). In both treatment groups, breath test values remained low 6 weeks after treatment (omeprazole treated 19.2, placebo treated 8. 3; p < 0.03 vs. pretreatment), but the persistence of H. pylori infection was confirmed in gastric biopsies.

CONCLUSION

La1 culture supernatant shown to be effective in vitro has a partial, acid-independent long-term suppressive effect on H. pylori in humans.

Mycobacterium avium grown in Acanthamoeba castellanii is protected from the effects of antimicrobials

Mycobacterium avium is a common cause of systemic bacterial infection in patients with AIDS. Infection with M. avium has been linked to bacterial colonization of domestic water supplies and commonly occurs through the gastrointestinal tract. Acanthamoeba castellanii, a waterborne protozoan, may serve as an environmental host for M. avium. It has been shown that growth of M. avium in amoebae enhances invasion and intracellular replication of the bacteria in human macrophages and intestinal epithelial cell line HT-29 as well as in mice. We determined that growth of M. avium within A. castellanii influenced susceptibility to rifabutin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin. No significant activity against M. avium was seen with rifabutin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin when used to treat monolayers on both day 1 and day 4 after infection. When tested in a macrophage-like cell line (U937), all compounds showed significant anti-M. avium activity. Growth of M. avium in amoebae appears to reduce the effectiveness of the antimicrobials. These findings may have significant implications for prophylaxis of M. avium infection in AIDS.

The isoflavone genistein inhibits internalization of enteric bacteria by cultured Caco-2 and HT-29 enterocytes

The dietary isoflavone genistein is the focus of much research involving its role as a potential therapeutic agent in a variety of diseases, including cancer and heart disease. However, there is recent evidence that dietary genistein may also have an inhibitory effect on extraintestinal invasion of enteric bacteria. To study the effects of genistein on bacterial adherence and internalization by confluent enterocytes, Caco-2 and HT-29 enterocytes (cultivated for 15-18 d and 21-24 d, respectively) were pretreated for 1 h with 0, 30, 100, or 300 micromol/L genistein, followed by 1-h incubation with pure cultures of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Proteus mirabilis, or Escherichia coli. Pretreatment of Caco-2 and HT-29 enterocytes with genistein inhibited bacterial internalization in a dose-dependent manner (r = 0.60-0.79). Compared to untreated enterocytes, 1-h pretreatment with 300 micromol/L genistein was generally associated with decreased bacterial internalization (P < 0. 05) without a corresponding decrease in bacterial adherence. Using Caco-2 cell cultures, decreased bacterial internalization was associated with increased integrity of enterocyte tight junctions [measured by increased transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER)], with alterations in the distribution of enterocyte perijunctional actin filaments (visualized by fluorescein-labeled phalloidin), and with abrogation of the decreased TEER associated with S. typhimurium and E. coli incubation with the enterocytes (P < 0.01). Thus, genistein was associated with inhibition of enterocyte internalization of enteric bacteria by a mechanism that might be related to the integrity of the enterocyte tight junctions, suggesting that genistein might function as a barrier-sustaining agent, inhibiting extraintestinal invasion of enteric bacteria.

Immune control of Chlamydial growth in the human epithelial cell line RT4 involves multiple mechanisms that include nitric oxide induction, tryptophan catabolism and iron deprivation

The antimicrobial activity of T cell-derived cytokines, especially interferon (IFN)-gamma, against intracellular pathogens, such as Chlamydia trachomatis, involves the induction of 3 major biochemical processes: tryptophan catabolism, nitric oxide (NO) induction and intracellular iron (Fe) deprivation. Since the epithelial cell is the natural target of chlamydial infection, the presence of these antimicrobial systems in the cell would suggest that they may be involved in T cell control of intracellular multiplication of Chlamydia. However, the controversy over whether these 3 antimicrobial processes are present in both mice and humans has precluded the assessment of the relative contribution of each of the 3 mechanisms to chlamydial inhibition in the same epithelial cell from either mice or humans. In the present study, we identified a Chlamydia-susceptible human epithelial cell line, RT4, that possesses the 3 antimicrobial systems, and we examined the role of nitric oxide (NO) induction, and deprivation of tryptophan or Fe in cytokine-induced inhibition of chlamydiae. It was found that the 3 antimicrobial systems contributed to cytokine-mediated inhibition of the intracellular growth of Chlamydia. NO induction accounted for approximately 20% of the growth inhibition; tryptophan catabolism contributed approximately 30%; iron deprivation was least effective; but the combination of the 3 systems accounted for greater than 60% of the inhibition observed. These results indicate that immune control of chlamydial growth in human epithelial cells may involve multiple mechanisms that include NO induction, tryptophan catabolism and Fe deprivation.

Recombinant human tumor necrosis factor and recombinant murine interleukin-1 alter the binding of Escherichia coli to intestine, mucin glycoprotein, and the HT29-C1 intestinal cell line

Little is known about the effects of cytokines at the intestinal mucosal surface on the adherence of bacteria. We examined the effects of recombinant tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) on the adherence of various strains of Escherichia coli to intestinal mucosa in vivo and in in vitro models. We studied the effects of TNF or IL-1 injected intraperitoneally on the ability of a rabbit enteric pathogen (RDEC-1) and a nonpathogenic E. coli (1392-) to colonize rabbit small bowel and found that there was a trend toward increased colonization by the RDEC-1 organisms in the TNF-treated rabbits, and a significant increase in colonization by the RDEC-1 organisms in the IL-1-treated animals (P < 0.01). Both TNF and IL-1 altered the density and the level of glycosylation of the small bowel mucus glcoprotein purified from the treated and untreated rabbits, and TNF treatment significantly increased the number of bacteria bound by this purified mucin (P < 0.01 for all strains). HT29-C1 intestinal cells in tissue culture were also grown in media with TNF or IL-1 and used in bacterial binding assays. The cells provided with media with 50 pg/mL of either cytokine bound significantly more of the three bacterial strains than cells in untreated media (P < 0.01 for all strains). The cytokines TNF and IL-1 have the potential to alter bacterial adherence to intestinal mucosa in vivo and in vitro; additional studies to clarify the role that these alterations in adherence may play in the clinical syndromes characterized by increased levels of intestinal cytokines are warranted.

Cell proliferation enhances entry of Listeria monocytogenes into intestinal epithelial cells by two proliferation-dependent entry pathways

Bacterial entry into intestinal host cells is the result of a fairly sophisticated manipulation of host cell machinery by the pathogens. To study further the potential cell target of Listeria spp., the in-vitro entry of L. monocytogenes strains into intestinal cells was examined in relation to the metabolism, proliferation and differentiation of the cells by the alamarBlue assay, [3H] thymidine incorporation, and brush border-associated enzyme activities, respectively. The study showed that cell metabolism was not involved in the entry of L. monocytogenes in three cell models (two human and one porcine). On the other hand, entry was closely related to the proliferation process and poorly related to the differentiation state of the cells. The use of L. monocytogenes mutants lacking invasion proteins showed that InlA and InlB acted in synergy to mediate the entry of L. monocytogenes into proliferative cells, whereas InlA alone seemed to be involved in the entry into non-proliferative cells. These two entry pathways could correspond to the two cellular processes used by L. monocytogenes to enter proliferative and non-proliferative cells, as suggested by the use of cytochalasin D, nocodazole, chloroquine and monodansylcadaverine. Taken together, we propose a hypothesis in which the entry of L. monocytogenes is mediated by interaction between randomly distributed E-cadherin on the surface of proliferative cells. In contrast, the entry into non-proliferative cells may involve pp60c-src, a proto-oncogenic tyrosine kinase signal that modifies E-cadherin localisation. In conclusion, these results suggest that L. monocytogenes may preferentially enter crypt cells in vivo by a microfilament-dependent process, whereas the few bacteria that infect villus cells enter by an E-cadherin-internalin interaction that mediates microtubule-dependent endocytosis.

Differentiation-associated antimicrobial functions in human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines

We report that the enterocytic cells of the HT-29 glc-/+ cell subpopulation strongly expressed two antimicrobial enzymes: the lysozyme and alpha1-antitrypsin. Moreover, we found that 20 to 30% of these cells expressed positive immunoreactivity using the mAbs directed against the gut porcine PR-39 and cecropin P1 antimicrobial peptides, but did not express immunreactivity against the human antimicrobial polymorphonucleated neutrophil-associated HNP 1-3 defensin and the Xenopus skin magainin. The HT-29 glc-/+ cell subpopulation develops bacteriolytic activity against the enterovirulent diffusely adhering C1845 Escherichia coli characterized by dramatic alterations of the bacterial cell, suggesting lysis, and bacterial death. In contrast, no expression of immunoreactivity against the antimicrobial peptides and no C1845 bacterial alteration were found in the cultured human embryonic undifferentiated INT407 cells and the colon adenocarcinoma T84 crypt cells. The development of the bacterial alteration and the expression of the antimicrobial components were examined as a function of the cell differentiation using the Caco-2 cell line which spontaneously differentiates in culture. We found that the bacterial alteration and the expression of the PR-39 immunoreactivity are differentiation-associated events. Altogether, our results suggest that in the intestine the enterocytes could develop antimicrobial defenses participating in the protection of the gut epithelium against enterovirulent microorganisms.

Characterization of enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis by a toxin-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Within the past decade, certain strains of Bacteroides fragilis have been associated with diarrhea in humans and cytotoxic activity on certain colon carcinoma cell lines. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting the enterotoxin of B. fragilis in cultures and stools was developed by using high-titer monospecific goat and rabbit antitoxins in an indirect format. The lower limit of detection for purified toxin was approximately 0.05 micrograms/ml; the linear range was from 0.05 to 10 microgram/ml. Using the ELISA to screen cultures of toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains of B. fragilis, we observed 100% correlation with 16 known toxigenic strains which had various cytotoxic activities on HT-29 cells. In addition, we found 6 of 62 previously untested strains also to be positive in both assays. Stability studies revealed that although the cytotoxic activities of crude and purified toxin preparations incubated at elevated temperatures were rapidly lost, the ELISA responses were not significantly reduced. Sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and SDS-capillary electrophoresis showed that the purified toxin autodigested to several stable peptides. Studies on partially purified membranes from the toxigenic strains revealed the presence of several membrane-associated components which were noncytotoxic but strongly immunoreactive in the ELISA. Preliminary studies with spiked feces indicated that the ELISA may be useful for screening not only cultures for the enterotoxigenic B. fragilis but also stool specimens. Ongoing studies are focusing on determining the nature of the toxin's apparent proteolytic capabilities and investigating the feasibility of using the ELISA on stool specimens from healthy and diarrheic humans.