Clostridium difficile-induced colitis in mice is independent of leukotrienes

Abstract

Clostridium difficile is the major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis in healthcare settings. However, the host factors involved in the intestinal inflammatory response and pathogenesis of C. difficile infection (CDI) are largely unknown. Here we investigated the role of leukotrienes (LTs), a group of pro-inflammatory lipid mediators, in CDI. Notably, the neutrophil chemoattractant LTB4, but not cysteinyl (cys) LTs, was induced in the intestine of C57BL/6 mice infected with either C. difficile strain VPI 10463 or strain 630. Genetic or pharmacological ablation of LT production did not ameliorate C. difficile colitis or clinical signs of disease in infected mice. Histological analysis demonstrated that intestinal neutrophilic inflammation, edema and tissue damage in mice during acute and severe CDI were not modulated in the absence of LTs. In addition, CDI induced a burst of cytokines in the intestine of infected mice in a LT-independent manner. Serum levels of anti-toxin A immunoglobulin (Ig) G levels were also not modulated by endogenous LTs. Collectively, our results do not support a role for LTs in modulating host susceptibility to CDI in mice.