Gnotobiotic IL-10 Research Articles

ZINC RESTRICTION BY INTESTINAL E. COLI - PRODUCED YERSINIABACTIN ACTIVATES HIF-1α IN MACROPHAGES TO PROMOTE CD-ASSOCIATED FIBROSIS

Abstract Intestinal fibrosis is a significant complication in Crohn’s disease (CD) patients, causing severe intestinal strictures and obstructions that are ultimately relieved by surgical bowel resection. Mechanisms driving CD-associated fibrosis are poorly understood but implicate the microbiome, especially adherent-invasive E. coli (AIEC). Previously, our work demonstrated that AIEC production of the metallophore yersiniabactin (Ybt) promotes fibrosis in the well-established gnotobiotic Il10-/- CD mouse model. These pro-fibrotic effects do not require bacterial uptake/utilization of Ybt, suggesting Ybt directly targets the host. Here we show that CD11b+ F4/80+ MHCIIlow macrophages are abundant in the submucosa and muscularis of fibrotic lesions in our mouse model. Similarly, CD68+ macrophages are abundant in strictures, not adjacent margins, of ileocolonic CD patients. We hypothesized that Ybt targets host macrophages to drive fibrosis. A critical metal-dependent pathway for immune cell function during inflammation is HIF-1α. We demonstrate that AIEC infection activates HIF-1α in macrophages, which is dependent upon Ybt production. Importantly, in fibrotic lesions of CD mouse models and resected strictures of ileocolonic CD patients, HIF-1α is activated and localized in nuclei of F4/80+ or CD68+ macrophages. We identified that zinc sequestration by Ybt is responsible for HIF-1α activation, a novel mechanism of HIF-1α stabilization. Furthermore, Ybt-producing AIEC induce potent pro-fibrotic gene expression in macrophage:fibroblast co-cultures, a process dependent on macrophage HIF-1α. This implies that Ybt induces pro-fibrotic macrophages, activating adjacent fibroblasts and fostering intestinal fibrosis. In summary, our findings suggest that as intestinal macrophages encounter AIEC, Ybt sequesters zinc, causes an accumulation of nuclear HIF-1α, and this imbalance of metal homeostasis drives pro-fibrotic macrophage and fibroblast activation. Ultimately, effective fibrotic remodeling fails and leads to intestinal fibrosis in CD patients.

Impact of dietary sulfolipid-derived sulfoquinovose on gut microbiota composition and inflammatory status of colitis-prone interleukin-10-deficient mice

The interplay between diet, intestinal microbiota and host is a major factor impacting health. A diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids has been reported to stimulate the growth of Bilophila wadsworthia by increasing the proportion of the sulfonated bile acid taurocholate (TC). The taurine-induced overgrowth of B. wadsworthia promoted the development of colitis in interleukin-10-deficient (IL-10-/-) mice. This study aimed to investigate whether intake of the sulfonates sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerols (SQDG) with a dietary supplement or their degradation product sulfoquinovose (SQ), stimulate the growth of B. wadsworthia in a similar manner and, thereby, cause intestinal inflammation. Conventional IL-10-/- mice were fed a diet supplemented with the SQDG-rich cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina). SQ or TC were orally applied to conventional IL-10-/- mice and gnotobiotic IL-10-/- mice harboring a simplified human intestinal microbiota with or without B. wadsworthia. Analyses of inflammatory parameters revealed that none of the sulfonates induced severe colitis, but both, Spirulina and TC, induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in cecal mucosa. Cell numbers of B. wadsworthia decreased almost two orders of magnitude by Spirulina feeding but slightly increased in gnotobiotic SQ and conventional TC mice. Changes in microbiota composition were observed in feces as a result of Spirulina or TC feeding in conventional mice. In conclusion, the dietary sulfonates SQDG and their metabolite SQ did not elicit bacteria-induced intestinal inflammation in IL-10-/- mice and, thus, do not promote colitis.

PRO-INFLAMMATORY MOLECULAR AND INFLAMMATORY MECHANISMS OF SULFUR METABOLISM IN IBD-RELEVANT CLOSTRIDIA SPECIES

Abstract Sulfur metabolism is emerging as a signature of IBD gut microbiota. Overrepresentation of sulfur-reducing bacteria (SRB) in IBD results in SRB-derived epithelial toxic H2S production that can overwhelm the body’s detoxification capacity, leading to impaired cellular respiration by inhibiting oxygen binding to mitochondrial cytochrome-c-oxidase. Butyrate potently inhibits SRBs and H2S, yet IBD patients have reduced short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. More critically, H2S blocks butyrate oxidation, the primary energy source of colonocytes; butyrate oxidation deficiency is a defining characteristic of IBD. Since cysteine is the preferred substrate for H2S production by SRBs, a cysteine-rich environment provided by either a high protein diet or local intestinal mucus degradation promotes ideal conditions for SRB establishment and proliferation. SRBs can catabolize other sulfur-containing compounds critical for immune homeostasis and cellular health, such as taurine-conjugated bile acids and the “master antioxidant” glutathione, leading to further toxic H2S production. However, the molecular underpinnings of sulfur metabolism by specific bacterial genera is understudied in IBD. Results: Using a combination of in-vivo and in-vitro screening to detect the relative induction of interleukin 10 (IL-10) and interferon g (IFNg) by 19 resident bacterial strains isolated from a healthy human donor, we identified 4 bacterial strains that induce a low IL-10/IFNg ratio. These 4 strains (low group), but not 3 bacterial strains that induce a high IL-10/IFNg ratio, induce colitis in selectively colonized gnotobiotic Il10-/- mice (Fig.1A). Two of these 4 disease-inducing strains, Clostridium perfringens (A12) and Clostridium bolteae (B6), produce high concentrations of H2S in monoassociated mice (Fig.1B). In-vitro H2S production by these strains is dependent on cysteine (Fig.1C). C. perfringens and C. bolteae each induce colitis in monoassociated Il10-/- mice (Fig.1D). We are dissecting the sulfur metabolic pathways in C. perfringens and C. bolteae and their contribution to inflammatory processes by interrupting key genes predicted to contribute to H2S production, cysteine catabolism and bile acid metabolism. We will use these mutants in both in-vitro and in-vivo Il10 -/- gnotobiotic mice models to characterize their metabolic and inflammatory profiles. We have created several mutants using Targetron gene editing, including the dissimilatory sulfate reductase (Δdsr), a putative sulfonate membrane transporter (ΔssuA), anaerobic sulfite reductase (ΔasrA) and bile salt hydrolase (Δbsh). Conclusions: H2S producing bacterial strains can induce experimental colitis. Our planned mechanistic studies will determine the metabolic routes for H2S production by specific aggressive bacteria to guide novel therapeutic or dietary interventions to improve IBD prognosis.

Composition of the Intestinal Microbiota Determines the Outcome of Virus-Triggered Colitis in Mice.

The intestinal microbiota is a complex ecosystem implicated in host health and disease. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a multifactorial chronic disorder of the gastrointestinal mucosa. Even though the exact mechanisms are still unknown, the intestinal microbiota is crucial in IBD development. We previously showed that murine norovirus (MNV) induces colitis in the Il10-deficient (Il10−/−) mouse model of IBD in a microbiota-dependent manner. Thus, in this study we analyzed whether distinct minimal bacterial consortia influence the outcome of MNV-triggered colitis in Il10−/− mice. Gnotobiotic Il10−/− mice associated with Oligo-Mouse-Microbiota 12 (OMM12) or Altered Schaedler Flora (ASF) developed little to no inflammatory lesions in the colon and cecum. MNV infection exacerbated colitis severity only in ASF-colonized mice, but not in those associated with OMM12. Four weeks after MNV infection, inflammatory lesions in ASF-colonized Il10−/− mice were characterized by epithelial hyperplasia, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and increased barrier permeability. Co-colonization of ASF-colonized Il10−/− mice with segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB) abolished MNV-induced colitis, whereas histopathological scores in SFB-OMM12-co-colonized mice stayed unchanged. Moreover, SFB only colonized mice associated with ASF. The SFB-mediated protective effects in ASF-colonized mice involved enhanced activation of intestinal barrier defense mechanisms and mucosal immune responses in the chronic and acute phase of MNV infection. SFB colonization strengthened intestinal barrier function by increasing expression of tight junction proteins, antimicrobial peptides and mucus. Furthermore, SFB colonization enhanced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as Tnfα, Il1β, and Il12a, as well as the expression of the regulatory cytokine Tgfβ. Altogether, our results showed that MNV-triggered colitis depends on the microbial context.

Gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase expression by Helicobacter saguini, an enterohepatic Helicobacter species isolated from cotton top tamarins with chronic colitis.

Helicobacter saguini is a novel enterohepatic Helicobacter species isolated from captive cotton top tamarins with chronic colitis and colon cancer. Monoassociated H.saguini infection in gnotobiotic IL-10-/- mice causes typhlocolitis and dysplasia; however, the virulent mechanisms of this species are unknown. Gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) is an enzymatic virulence factor expressed by pathogenic Helicobacter and Campylobacter species that inhibits host cellular proliferation and promotes inflammatory-mediated gastrointestinal pathology. The aim of this study was to determine if H.saguini expresses an enzymatically active GGT homologue with virulence properties. Two putative GGT paralogs (HSGGT1 and HSGGT2) identified in the H.saguini genome were bioinformatically analysed to predict enzymatic functionality and virulence potential. An isogenic knockout mutant strain and purified recombinant protein of HSGGT1 were created to study enzymatic activity and virulence properties by in vitro biochemical and cell culture experiments. Bioinformatic analysis predicted that HSGGT1 has enzymatic functionality and is most similar to the virulent homologue expressed by Helicobacter bilis, whereas HSGGT2 contains putatively inactivating mutations. An isogenic knockout mutant strain and recombinant HSGGT1 protein were successfully created and demonstrated that H.saguini has GGT enzymatic activity. Recombinant HSGGT1 protein and sonicate from wild-type but not mutant H.saguini inhibited gastrointestinal epithelial and lymphocyte cell proliferation without evidence of cell death. The antiproliferative effect by H.saguini sonicate or recombinant HSGGT1 protein could be significantly prevented with glutamine supplementation or the GGT-selective inhibitor acivicin. Recombinant HSGGT1 protein also induced proinflammatory gene expression in colon epithelial cells. This study shows that H.saguini may express GGT as a potential virulence factor and supports further in vitro and in vitro studies into how GGT expression by enterohepatic Helicobacter species influences the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases.

OP030 Identification of disease-relevant bacterial signatures in gnotobiotic IL-10 deficient mice using fecal samples from IBD patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Background: Imbalanced microbial composition has been linked to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) proved to be successful in inducing remission in severe, highly refractory Crohn's disease (CD) patients, possibly by erasing immune responses against gut microbes. Gnotobiotic mouse models colonized with human microbiota brought insights into the mechanistic aspects of host-microbe interactions. The aim of this study was to assess the functional role of microbiota signatures associated with different disease states. Methods: High-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed on (n=147) fecal samples collected from (n=13) healthy donors and (n=31) HSCT-treated CD patients. Germ-free (GF) wild-type (WT) and IL10–/– mice (129 Sv/Ev; n=12 mice/group) were colonized with fecal microbiota from CD patients before and after HSCT at different disease states. Selection of CD patients for transfer into GF mice was based on clinical and endoscopic disease activity, including paired patient samples collected under remission or relapse following HSCT. Results: Microbiota profiling showed a significantly reduced microbial diversity in patients compared with healthy controls. Patients in remission showed higher microbial diversity than patients in relapse or at active state of the disease. Patients with fistulating or ileal phenotype had the least diverse ecosystems. High level of inter-individual variation was observed. Despite an incomplete transfer of donor microbiota with a 20–40% loss of species-level taxa, humanized mice reflected the dysbiotic features of their respective human donors, indicated by richness and diversity measures. Histopathological evaluation showed moderate to severe inflammation in colon and cecum of the IL10–/– mice associated with microbiota from patients in relapse. In contrast, IL10–/– mice associated with microbiota from patients in remission remained disease-free. To validate the phenotype transfer, we gavaged the mice three times with donor microbiota during the first week of colonization. Remission-associated mice showed higher species richness but still remained disease-free, while relapse-associated mice developed enhanced inflammation measured at the level of fecal complement C3 concentrations. Endpoint microbial composition remained similar, regardless of the number of inoculations and F1 generation of mice displayed a stable engraftment of human microbiota. Conclusions: Transfer of patient-derived fecal microbiota mimics the disease phenotype in gnotobiotic IL10–/– mice. Bacterial composition, not the number of species is responsible for disease initiation. Humanized mice represent a potential tool for recapitulating disease phenotypes in IBD.

Helicobacter saguini, a Novel Helicobacter Isolated from Cotton-Top Tamarins with Ulcerative Colitis, Has Proinflammatory Properties and Induces Typhlocolitis and Dysplasia in Gnotobiotic IL-10-/- Mice.

A urease-negative, fusiform, novel bacterium named Helicobacter saguini was isolated from the intestines and feces of cotton-top tamarins (CTTs) with chronic colitis. Helicobacter sp. was detected in 69% of feces or intestinal samples from 116 CTTs. The draft genome sequence, obtained by Illumina MiSeq sequencing, for H. saguini isolate MIT 97-6194-5, consisting of ∼2.9 Mb with a G+C content of 35% and 2,704 genes, was annotated using the NCBI Prokaryotic Genomes Automatic Annotation Pipeline. H. saguini contains homologous genes of known virulence factors found in other enterohepatic helicobacter species (EHS) and H. pylori These include flagellin, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (ggt), collagenase, the secreted serine protease htrA, and components of a type VI secretion system, but the genome does not harbor genes for cytolethal distending toxin (cdt). H. saguini MIT 97-6194-5 induced significant levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in HT-29 cell culture supernatants by 4 h, which increased through 24 h. mRNAs for the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), IL-10, and IL-6 and the chemokine CXCL1 were upregulated in cocultured HT-29 cells at 4 h compared to levels in control cells. At 3 months postinfection, all H. saguini-monoassociated gnotobiotic C57BL/129 IL-10(-/-) mice were colonized and had seroconverted to H. saguini antigen with a significant Th1-associated increase in IgG2c (P < 0.0001). H. saguini induced a significant typhlocolitis, associated epithelial defects, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) hyperplasia, and dysplasia. Inflammatory cytokines IL-22, IL-17a, IL-1β, gamma interferon (IFN-γ), and TNF-α, as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were significantly upregulated in the cecal tissues of infected mice. The expression of the DNA damage response molecule γ-H2AX was significantly higher in the ceca of H. saguini-infected gnotobiotic mice than in the controls. This model using a nonhuman primate Helicobacter sp. can be used to study the pathogenic potential of EHS isolated from primates with naturally occurring inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colon cancer.

Toll-Like Receptor-4 Dependent Intestinal Gene Expression During Arcobacter Butzleri Infection of Gnotobiotic Il-10 Deficient Mice.

We have previously shown that Arcobacter butzleri infection induces Toll-like receptor (TLR) -4 dependent immune responses in perorally infected gnotobiotic IL-10–/– mice. Here, we analyzed TLR-4-dependent expression of genes encoding inflammatory mediators and matrix-degrading gelatinases MMP-2 and -9 in the small and large intestines of gnotobiotic TLR-4-deficient IL-10–/– mice that were perorally infected with A. butzleri strains CCUG 30485 or C1, of human and chicken origin, respectively. At day 6 following A. butzleri infection, colonic mucin-2 mRNA, as integral part of the intestinal mucus layer, was downregulated in the colon, but not ileum, of IL-10–/– but not TLR-4–/– IL-10–/– mice. CCUG 30485 strain-infected TLR-4-deficient IL-10–/– mice displayed less distinctly upregulated IFN-γ, IL-17A, and IL-1β mRNA levels in ileum and colon, which was also true for colonic IL-22. These changes were accompanied by upregulated colonic MMP-2 and ileal MMP-9 mRNA exclusively in IL-10–/– mice. In conclusion, TLR-4 is essentially involved in A. butzleri mediated modulation of gene expression in the intestines of gnotobiotic IL-10–/– mice.

Intestinal Expression of Genes Encoding Inflammatory Mediators and Gelatinases During Arcobacter Butzleri Infection of Gnotobiotic Il-10 Deficient Mice.

We have previously shown that Arcobacter butzleri induces intestinal, extra-intestinal, and systemic immune responses in perorally infected gnotobiotic IL-10–/– mice in a strain-dependent fashion. Here, we present a comprehensive survey of small and large intestinal expression profiles of inflammatory and regulatory mediators as well as of the matrix-degrading gelatinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 following murine A. butzleri infection. Gnotobiotic IL-10–/– mice were infected with A. butzleri strains CCUG 30485 or C1 of human and chicken origin, respectively. At day 6 following A. butzleri infection, mucin-2 mRNA, an integral part of the intestinal mucus layer, was downregulated in the colon, whereas TNF and IL-23p19 mRNA were upregulated in the ileum. Furthermore, IFN-γ, IL-17A, IL-1β, and IL-22 mRNA were upregulated in both colonic and ileal ex vivo biopsies at day 6 post strain CCUG 30485 infection. These changes were accompanied by downregulated colonic MMP-9 levels, whereas both MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA were upregulated in the ileum. In conclusion, these data indicate that A. butzleri infection induces changes in the expression of genes involved in pro-inflammatory and regulatory immune responses as well as in tissue degradation.

MATE transport of the E. coli-derived genotoxin colibactin.

Various forms of cancer have been linked to the carcinogenic activities of microorganisms(1-3). The virulent gene island polyketide synthase (pks) produces the secondary metabolite colibactin, a genotoxic molecule(s) causing double-stranded DNA breaks(4) and enhanced colorectal cancer development(5,6). Colibactin biosynthesis involves a prodrug resistance strategy where an N-terminal prodrug scaffold (precolibactin) is assembled, transported into the periplasm and cleaved to release the mature product(7-10). Here, we show that ClbM, a multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporter, is a key component involved in colibactin activity and transport. Disruption of clbM attenuated pks+ E. coli-induced DNA damage in vitro and significantly decreased the DNA damage response in gnotobiotic Il10(-/-) mice. Colonization experiments performed in mice or zebrafish animal models indicate that clbM is not implicated in E. coli niche establishment. The X-ray structure of ClbM shows a structural motif common to the recently described MATE family. The 12-transmembrane ClbM is characterized as a cation-coupled antiporter, and residues important to the cation-binding site are identified. Our data identify ClbM as a precolibactin transporter and provide the first structure of a MATE transporter with a defined and specific biological function.

Toll-Like Receptor-4 is Essential for Arcobacter Butzleri-Induced Colonic and Systemic Immune Responses in Gnotobiotic IL-10(-/-) Mice.

Arcobacter butzleri causes sporadic cases of gastroenteritis, but the underlying immunopathological mechanisms of infection are unknown. We have recently demonstrated that A. butzleri-infected gnotobiotic IL-10–/– mice were clinically unaffected but exhibited intestinal and systemic inflammatory immune responses. For the first time, we here investigated the role of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4, the main receptor for lipopolysaccharide and lipooligosaccharide of Gram-negative bacteria, in murine arcobacteriosis. Gnotobiotic TLR-4/IL-10-double deficient (TLR-4–/– IL-10–/–) and IL-10–/– control mice generated by broad-spectrum antibiotics were perorally infected with A. butzleri. Until day 16 postinfection, mice of either genotype were stably colonized with the pathogen, but fecal bacterial loads were approximately 0.5–2.0 log lower in TLR-4–/– IL-10–/– as compared to IL-10–/– mice. A. butzleri-infected TLR-4–/– IL-10–/– mice displayed less pronounced colonic apoptosis accompanied by lower numbers of macrophages and monocytes, T lymphocytes, regulatory T-cells, and B lymphocytes within the colonic mucosa and lamina propria as compared to IL-10–/– mice. Furthermore, colonic concentrations of nitric oxide, TNF, IL-6, MCP-1, and, remarkably, IFN-γ and IL-12p70 serum levels were lower in A. butzleri-infected TLR-4–/– IL-10–/– versus IL-10–/– mice. In conclusion, TLR-4 is involved in mediating murine A. butzleri infection. Further studies are needed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying Arcobacter–host interactions in more detail.

Toll-Like Receptor-4 Dependent Small Intestinal Immune Responses Following Murine Arcobacter Butzleri Infection.

Sporadic cases of gastroenteritis have been attributed to Arcobacter butzleri infection, but information about the underlying immunopathological mechanisms is scarce. We have recently shown that experimental A. butzleri infection induces intestinal, extraintestinal and systemic immune responses in gnotobiotic IL-10–/– mice. The aim of the present study was to investigate the immunopathological role of Toll-like Receptor-4, the receptor for lipopolysaccharide and lipooligosaccharide of Gram-negative bacteria, during murine A. butzleri infection. To address this, gnotobiotic IL-10–/– mice lacking TLR-4 were generated by broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment and perorally infected with two different A. butzleri strains isolated from a patient (CCUG 30485) or fresh chicken meat (C1), respectively. Bacteria of either strain stably colonized the ilea of mice irrespective of their genotype at days 6 and 16 postinfection. As compared to IL-10–/– control animals, TLR-4–/– IL-10–/– mice were protected from A. butzleri-induced ileal apoptosis, from ileal influx of adaptive immune cells including T lymphocytes, regulatory T-cells and B lymphocytes, and from increased ileal IFN-γ secretion. Given that TLR-4-signaling is essential for A. butzleri-induced intestinal inflammation, we conclude that bacterial lipooligosaccharide or lipopolysaccharide compounds aggravate intestinal inflammation and may thus represent major virulence factors of Arcobacter. Future studies need to further unravel the molecular mechanisms of TLR-4-mediated A. butzleri-host interactions.

Survey of small intestinal and systemic immune responses following murine Arcobacter butzleri infection

BackgroundArcobacter (A.) butzleri has been described as causative agent for sporadic cases of human gastroenteritis with abdominal pain and acute or prolonged watery diarrhea. In vitro studies revealed distinct adhesive, invasive and cytotoxic properties of A. butzleri. Information about the underlying immunopathological mechanisms of infection in vivo, however, are scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunopathological properties of two different A.butzleri strains in a well-established murine infection model.ResultsGnotobiotic IL-10−/− mice, in which the intestinal microbiota was depleted by broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment, were perorally infected with two different A. butzleri strains isolated from a diseased patient (CCUG 30485) or fresh chicken meat (C1), respectively. Eventhough bacteria of either strain could stably colonize the intestinal tract at day 6 and day 16 postinfection (p.i.), mice did not exert infection induced symptoms such as diarrhea or wasting. In small intestines of infected mice, however, increased numbers of apoptotic cells could be detected at day 16, but not day 6 following infection with either strain. A strain-dependent influx of distinct immune cell populations such as T and B cells as well as of regulatory T cells could be observed upon A. butzleri infection which was accompanied by increased small intestinal concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF, IFN-γ, MCP-1 and IL-6. Remarkably, inflammatory responses following A. butzleri infection were not restricted to the intestinal tract, given that the CCUG 30485 strain induced systemic immune responses as indicated by increased IFN-γ concentrations in spleens at day 6, but not day 16 following infection.ConclusionUpon peroral infection A. butzleri stably colonized the intestinal tract of gnotobiotic IL-10−/− mice. The dynamics of distinct local and systemic inflammatory responses could be observed in a strain-dependent fashion pointing towards an immunopathogenic potential of A. butzleri in vivo. These results indicate that gnotobiotic IL-10−/− mice are well suited to further investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying arcobacteriosis in vivo.

Arcobacter butzleri Induce Colonic, Extra-Intestinal and Systemic Inflammatory Responses in Gnotobiotic IL-10 Deficient Mice in a Strain-Dependent Manner.

BackgroundThe immunopathological impact of human Arcobacter (A.) infections is under current debate. Episodes of gastroenteritis with abdominal pain and acute or prolonged watery diarrhea were reported for A. butzleri infected patients. Whereas adhesive, invasive and cytotoxic capacities have been described for A. butzleri in vitro, only limited information is available about the immunopathogenic potential and mechanisms of infection in vivo.Methodology/Principal FindingsGnotobiotic IL-10-/- mice were generated by broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment and perorally infected with the A. butzleri strains CCUG 30485 and C1 shown to be invasive in cell culture assays. Bacterial colonization capacities, clinical conditions, intestinal, extra-intestinal and systemic immune responses were monitored at day six and 16 postinfection (p.i.). Despite stable intestinal A. butzleri colonization at high loads, gnotobiotic IL-10-/- mice were virtually unaffected and did not display any overt symptoms at either time point. Notably, A. butzleri infection induced apoptosis of colonic epithelial cells which was paralleled by increased abundance of proliferating cells. Furthermore A. butzleri infection caused a significant increase of distinct immune cell populations such as T and B cells, regulatory T cells, macrophages and monocytes in the colon which was accompanied by elevated colonic TNF, IFN-γ, nitric oxide (NO), IL-6, IL-12p70 and MCP-1 concentrations. Strikingly, A. butzleri induced extra-intestinal and systemic immune responses as indicated by higher NO concentrations in kidney and increased TNF, IFN-γ, IL-12p70 and IL-6 levels in serum samples of infected as compared to naive mice. Overall, inflammatory responses could be observed earlier in the course of infection by the CCUG 30485 as compared to the C1 strain.Conclusion/SignificancePeroral A. butzleri infection induced not only intestinal but also extra-intestinal and systemic immune responses in gnotobiotic IL-10-/- mice in a strain-dependent manner. These findings point towards an immunopathogenic potential of A. butzleri in vertebrate hosts.

Selective gelatinase inhibition reduces apoptosis and pro-inflammatory immune cell responses inCampylobacter jejuni-infected gnotobiotic IL-10 deficient mice

Increased levels of the matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (also referred to gelatinase-A and -B, respectively) can be detected in intestinal inflammation. We have recently shown that selective gelatinase blockage by the synthetic compound RO28-2653 ameliorates acute murine ileitis and colitis. We here investigated whether RO28-2653 exerts anti-inflammatory effects in acute Campylobacter jejuni-induced enterocolitis of gnotobiotic IL-10(-/-) mice generated following antibiotic treatment. Mice were perorally infected with C. jejuni (day 0) and either treated with RO28-2653 (75 mg/kg body weight/day) or placebo from day 1 until day 6 post infection (p.i.) by gavage. Irrespective of the treatment, infected mice displayed comparable pathogen loads within the gastrointestinal tract. Following RO28-2653 administration, however, infected mice exhibited less severe symptoms such as bloody diarrhea as compared to placebo controls. Furthermore, less distinct apoptosis but higher numbers of proliferating cells could be detected in the colon of RO28-2653-treated as compared to placebo-treated mice at day 7 p.i. Remarkably, gelatinase blockage resulted in lower numbers of T- and B-lymphocytes as well as macrophages and monocytes in the colonic mucosa of C. jejuni-infected gnotobiotic IL-10(-/-) mice. Taken together, synthetic gelatinase inhibition exerts anti-inflammatory effects in experimental campylobacteriosis.

The role of serine protease HtrA in acute ulcerative enterocolitis and extra-intestinal immune responses during Campylobacter jejuni infection of gnotobiotic IL-10 deficient mice.

Campylobacter jejuni infections have a high prevalence worldwide and represent a significant socioeconomic burden. C. jejuni can cross the intestinal epithelial barrier as visualized in biopsies derived from human patients and animal models, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms and associated immunopathology are still not well understood. We have recently shown that the secreted serine protease HtrA (high temperature requirement A) plays a key role in C. jejuni cellular invasion and transmigration across polarized epithelial cells in vitro. In the present in vivo study we investigated the role of HtrA during C. jejuni infection of mice. We used the gnotobiotic IL-10−/− mouse model to study campylobacteriosis following peroral infection with the C. jejuni wild-type (WT) strain NCTC11168 and the isogenic, non-polar NCTC11168ΔhtrA deletion mutant. Six days post infection (p.i.) with either strain mice harbored comparable intestinal C. jejuni loads, whereas ulcerative enterocolitis was less pronounced in mice infected with the ΔhtrA mutant strain. Moreover, ΔhtrA mutant infected mice displayed lower apoptotic cell numbers in the large intestinal mucosa, less colonic accumulation of neutrophils, macrophages and monocytes, lower large intestinal nitric oxide, IFN-γ, and IL-6 as well as lower TNF-α and IL-6 serum concentrations as compared to WT strain infected mice at day 6 p.i. Notably, immunopathological responses were not restricted to the intestinal tract given that liver and kidneys exhibited mild histopathological changes 6 days p.i. with either C. jejuni strain. We also found that hepatic and renal nitric oxide levels or renal TNF-α concentrations were lower in the ΔhtrA mutant as compared to WT strain infected mice. In conclusion, we show here that the C. jejuni HtrA protein plays a pivotal role in inducing host cell apoptosis and immunopathology during murine campylobacteriosis in the gut in vivo.

Impact of Campylobacter jejuni cj0268c Knockout Mutation on Intestinal Colonization, Translocation, and Induction of Immunopathology in Gnotobiotic IL-10 Deficient Mice

BackgroundAlthough Campylobacter jejuni infections have a high prevalence worldwide and represent a significant socioeconomic burden, the underlying molecular mechanisms of induced intestinal immunopathology are still not well understood. We have recently generated a C. jejuni mutant strain NCTC11168::cj0268c, which has been shown to be involved in cellular adhesion and invasion. The immunopathological impact of this gene, however, has not been investigated in vivo so far.Methodology/Principal FindingsGnotobiotic IL-10 deficient mice were generated by quintuple antibiotic treatment and perorally infected with C. jejuni mutant strain NCTC11168::cj0268c, its complemented version (NCTC11168::cj0268c-comp-cj0268c), or the parental strain NCTC11168. Kinetic analyses of fecal pathogen loads until day 6 post infection (p.i.) revealed that knockout of cj0268c did not compromise intestinal C. jejuni colonization capacities. Whereas animals irrespective of the analysed C. jejuni strain developed similar clinical symptoms of campylobacteriosis (i.e. enteritis), mice infected with the NCTC11168::cj0268c mutant strain displayed significant longer small as well as large intestinal lengths indicative for less distinct C. jejuni induced pathology when compared to infected control groups at day 6 p.i. This was further supported by significantly lower apoptotic and T cell numbers in the colonic mucosa and lamina propria, which were paralleled by lower intestinal IFN-γ and IL-6 concentrations at day 6 following knockout mutant NCTC11168::cj0268c as compared to parental strain infection. Remarkably, less intestinal immunopathology was accompanied by lower IFN-γ secretion in ex vivo biopsies taken from mesenteric lymphnodes of NCTC11168::cj0268c infected mice versus controls.Conclusion/SignificanceWe here for the first time show that the cj0268c gene is involved in mediating C. jejuni induced immunopathogenesis in vivo. Future studies will provide further deep insights into the immunological and molecular interplays between C. jejuni and innate immunity in human campylobacteriosis.

262 Impact of NOD2 on Intestinal Microbiota and Mucosal Homeostasis: Respective Roles of Epithelial and Immune Cells

Background: Mounting evidence indicates that aberrant immune responses to commensal intestinal microbes contribute to the development of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). However, little is known about the effects of inflammation on gut microbial function. We previously reported that colitis induces commensal luminal Escherichia coli to upregulate stress-response genes in monoassociated Il-10-/(KO) mice, but colitis-associated microbial transcription in complex luminal bacterial communities has not been explored. Understanding how inflammation affects gut microbes in a manner that perpetuates colitis could identify novelmicrobial pathways that can be targeted for therapeutic purposes. Hypothesis:Mixtures of commensal bacterial isolates induce colitis in KO mice and respond to inflammation by upregulating genes that promote microbial survival. Methods: Germ-free wild-type (WT) and KO 129 SvEv mice were colonized for up to 10 weeks with 8 commensal, predominantly human-derived bacterial isolates (Table) representing each major phylum of the gut microbiome. Intestinal inflammation was quantified by blinded histological scores and spontaneous secretion of Il-12/23p40 by colon explant cultures. Fecal bacterial composition at 5 wks was measured by real-time PCR. Cecal microbial metatranscriptomes at 10 wks were characterized using Illumina-based microbial RNA-Seq and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis of conserved domains. Results: At 5 and 10 weeks, KO mice had increased histological inflammation and Il-12/23p40 secretion by colon explant cultures compared to WT mice. At 5 weeks, fecal bacterial composition in WT and KOmice was similar and was dominated by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Ruminococcus gnavus. Gut microbial metatranscriptomes in KO and WT mice were significantly different at 10 weeks. While relatively few E. faecalis mRNA's were detected in cecal contents, they comprise the majority of differentially expressed microbial genes (Table). Overall, 76 conserved domains were significantly enriched with genes that are upregulated in bacteria from KO mice including tRNA synthetase (false discovery rate/ FDR=0.001), translation factors (FDR=0.002), cell wall biosynthesis (FDR=0.011), nucleotide salvage pathways (FDR=0.013), bacterial sugar transferase (FDR=0.015), and DNA repair (FDR=0.039). 7 conserved domains were enriched with genes that are downregulated in bacteria from KO mice including thioredoxin (FDR=0.052) and cation transporting ATPase (FDR=0.155). Conclusions: A representative mixture of predominantly human commensal bacterial isolates induces colitis in gnotobiotic Il-10-/mice and responds to inflammation by upregulating genes in metabolic, synthetic and DNA repair pathways. Mechanistic studies of differentially expressed bacterial genes may reveal novel pathways that initiate and/or perpetuate IBDs.

315 Induction of Bacterial Antigen-Specific Colitis by a Simplified Human Microbiota Consortium in Gnotobiotic IL-10-/- Mice

G A A b st ra ct s the waaWVL operon is not present in non pathogenic E. coli strains but is present in most AIEC from our collection and in two other sequenced AIEC strains NRG 857C and UM146. CONCLUSION: The presence of waaWVL operon is essential for AIEC bacteria to form biofilm at the surface of the intestinal mucosa. The search for the presence of the waaWVL operon could represent a useful molecular tool to identify pathogenic AIEC and targeting waaWVL operon expression could be a very potent therapeutic strategy to interfere with the ability of AIEC to form biofilm on the gut mucosa of Crohn's disease patients.

Campylobacter jejuni Induces Acute Enterocolitis in Gnotobiotic IL-10−/− Mice via Toll-Like-Receptor-2 and -4 Signaling

Background Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of foodborne bacterial enterocolitis worldwide. Investigation of immunopathology is hampered by a lack of suitable vertebrate models. We have recently shown that gnotobiotic mice as well as conventional IL-10−/− animals are susceptible to C. jejuni infection and develop intestinal immune responses. However, clinical symptoms of C. jejuni infection were rather subtle and did not reflect acute bloody diarrhea seen in human campylobacteriosis.Methodology/Principal FindingsIn order to overcome these limitations we generated gnotobiotic IL-10−/− mice by quintuple antibiotic treatment starting right after weaning. The early treatment was essential to prevent these animals from chronic colitis. Following oral infection C. jejuni colonized the gastrointestinal tract at high levels and induced acute enterocolitis within 7 days as indicated by bloody diarrhea and pronounced histopathological changes of the colonic mucosa. Immunopathology was further characterized by increased numbers of apoptotic cells, regulatory T-cells, T- and B-lymphocytes as well as elevated TNF-α, IFN-γ, and MCP-1 concentrations in the inflamed colon. The induction of enterocolitis was specific for C. jejuni given that control animals infected with a commensal E. coli strain did not display any signs of disease. Most strikingly, intestinal immunopathology was ameliorated in mice lacking Toll-like-receptors-2 or -4 indicating that C. jejuni lipoproteins and lipooligosaccharide are essential for induction and progression of immunopathology.Conclusion/SignificanceGnotobiotic IL-10−/− mice develop acute enterocolitis following C. jejuni infection mimicking severe episodes of human campylobacteriosis and are thus well suited to further dissect mechanisms underlying Campylobacter infections in vivo.