Endocannabinoids Inhibit the Induction of Virulence in Enteric Pathogens.

Endocannabinoids are host-derived lipid hormones that fundamentally impact gastrointestinal (GI) biology. The use of cannabis and other exocannabinoids as anecdotal treatments for various GI disorders inspired the search for mechanisms by which these compounds mediate their effects, which led to the discovery of the mammalian endocannabinoid system. Dysregulated endocannabinoid signaling was linked to inflammation and the gut microbiota. However, the effects of endocannabinoids on host susceptibility to infection has not been explored. Here, we show that mice with elevated levels of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) are protected from enteric infection by Enterobacteriaceae pathogens. 2-AG directly modulates pathogen function by inhibiting virulence programs essential for successful infection. Furthermore, 2-AG antagonizes the bacterial receptor QseC, a histidine kinase encoded within the core Enterobacteriaceae genome that promotes the activation of pathogen-associated type three secretion systems. Taken together, our findings establish that endocannabinoids are directly sensed by bacteria and can modulate bacterial function.

Indole-3-lactic acid associated with Bifidobacterium-dominated microbiota significantly decreases inflammation in intestinal epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND: Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis) is a commensal bacterium that colonizes the gastrointestinal tract of breast-fed infants. B. infantis can efficiently utilize the abundant supply of oligosaccharides found in human milk (HMO) to help establish residence. We hypothesized that metabolites from B. infantis grown on HMO produce a beneficial effect on the host. RESULTS: In a previous study, we demonstrated that B. infantis routinely dominated the fecal microbiota of a breast fed Bangladeshi infant cohort (1). Characterization of the fecal metabolome of binned samples representing high and low B. infantis populations from this cohort revealed higher amounts of the tryptophan metabolite indole-3-lactic acid (ILA) in feces with high levels of B. infantis. Further in vitro analysis confirmed that B. infantis produced significantly greater quantities of the ILA when grown on HMO versus lactose, suggesting a growth substrate relationship to ILA production. The direct effects of ILA were assessed in a macrophage cell line and intestinal epithelial cell lines. ILA (1-10 mM) significantly attenuated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activation of NF-kB in macrophages. ILA significantly attenuated TNF-α- and LPS-induced increase in the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 in intestinal epithelial cells. ILA increased mRNA expression of the aryl hydrogen receptor (AhR)-target gene CYP1A1 and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-targeted genes glutathione reductase 2 (GPX2), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), and NAD(P) H dehydrogenase (NQO1). Pretreatment with either the AhR antagonist or Nrf-2 antagonist inhibited the response of ILA on downstream effectors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that ILA, a predominant metabolite from B. infantis grown on HMO and elevated in infant stool high in B. infantis, and protects gut epithelial cells in culture via activation of the AhR and Nrf2 pathway.

Fucose sensing regulates bacterial intestinal colonization.

The mammalian gastrointestinal tract provides a complex and competitive environment for the microbiota. Successful colonization by pathogens requires scavenging nutrients, sensing chemical signals, competing with the resident bacteria and precisely regulating the expression of virulence genes. The gastrointestinal pathogen enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) relies on inter-kingdom chemical sensing systems to regulate virulence gene expression. Here we show that these systems control the expression of a novel two-component signal transduction system, named FusKR, where FusK is the histidine sensor kinase and FusR the response regulator. FusK senses fucose and controls expression of virulence and metabolic genes. This fucose-sensing system is required for robust EHEC colonization of the mammalian intestine. Fucose is highly abundant in the intestine. Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron produces multiple fucosidases that cleave fucose from host glycans, resulting in high fucose availability in the gut lumen. During growth in mucin, B. thetaiotaomicron contributes to EHEC virulence by cleaving fucose from mucin, thereby activating the FusKR signalling cascade, modulating the virulence gene expression of EHEC. Our findings suggest that EHEC uses fucose, a host-derived signal made available by the microbiota, to modulate EHEC pathogenicity and metabolism.

Bifidobacteria grown on human milk oligosaccharides downregulate the expression of inflammation-related genes in Caco-2 cells.

BACKGROUND: Breastfed human infants are predominantly colonized by bifidobacteria that thrive on human milk oligosaccharides (HMO). Two predominant species of bifidobacteria in infant feces are Bifidobacterium breve (B. breve) and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis), both of which include avid HMO-consumer strains. Our laboratory has previously shown that B. infantis, when grown on HMO, increases adhesion to intestinal cells and increases the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of carbon source-glucose, lactose, or HMO-on the ability of B. breve and B. infantis to adhere to and affect the transcription of intestinal epithelial cells on a genome-wide basis. RESULTS: HMO-grown B. infantis had higher percent binding to Caco-2 cell monolayers compared to B. infantis grown on glucose or lactose. B. breve had low adhesive ability regardless of carbon source. Despite differential binding ability, both HMO-grown strains significantly differentially affected the Caco-2 transcriptome compared to their glucose or lactose grown controls. HMO-grown B. breve and B. infantis both downregulated genes in Caco-2 cells associated with chemokine activity. CONCLUSION: The choice of carbon source affects the interaction of bifidobacteria with intestinal epithelial cells. HMO-grown bifidobacteria reduce markers of inflammation, compared to glucose or lactose-grown bifidobacteria. In the future, the design of preventative or therapeutic probiotic supplements may need to include appropriately chosen prebiotics.

The type VI secretion system plays a role in type 1 fimbria expression and pathogenesis of an avian pathogenic Escherichia coli strain.

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strains frequently cause extraintestinal infections and are responsible for significant economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide. APEC isolates are closely related to human extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) strains and may also act as pathogens for humans. Known APEC virulence factors include adhesins such as type 1 fimbriae and curli, iron acquisition systems, and cytotoxins. Here we show that APEC strain SEPT362, isolated from a septicemic hen, expresses a type VI secretion system (T6SS); causes cytoskeleton rearrangements; and invades epithelial cells, replicates within macrophages, and causes lethal disease in chicks. To assess the contribution of the T6SS to SEPT362 pathogenesis, we generated two mutants, hcp (which encodes a protein suggested to be both secreted and a structural component of the T6SS) and clpV (encoding the T6SS ATPase). Both mutants showed decreased adherence and actin rearrangement on epithelial cells. However, only the hcp mutant presented a mild decrease in its ability to invade epithelial cells, and none of these mutants were defective for intramacrophage replication. Transcriptome studies showed that the level of expression of type 1 fimbriae was decreased in these mutants, which may account for the diminished adhesion and invasion of epithelial cells. The T6SS seems to be important for the disease process, given that both mutants were attenuated for infection in chicks. These results suggest that the T6SS influences the expression of type 1 fimbriae and contributes to APEC pathogenesis.

CRISPR Screen Reveals that EHEC's T3SS and Shiga Toxin Rely on Shared Host Factors for Infection.

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) has two critical virulence factors-a type III secretion system (T3SS) and Shiga toxins (Stxs)-that are required for the pathogen to colonize the intestine and cause diarrheal disease. Here, we carried out a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats with Cas9) loss-of-function screen to identify host loci that facilitate EHEC infection of intestinal epithelial cells. Many of the guide RNAs identified targeted loci known to be associated with sphingolipid biosynthesis, particularly for production of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), the Stx receptor. Two loci (TM9SF2 and LAPTM4A) with largely unknown functions were also targeted. Mutations in these loci not only rescued cells from Stx-mediated cell death, but also prevented cytotoxicity associated with the EHEC T3SS. These mutations interfered with early events associated with T3SS and Stx pathogenicity, markedly reducing entry of T3SS effectors into host cells and binding of Stx. The convergence of Stx and T3SS onto overlapping host targets provides guidance for design of new host-directed therapeutic agents to counter EHEC infection.IMPORTANCE Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) has two critical virulence factors-a type III secretion system (T3SS) and Shiga toxins (Stxs)-that are required for colonizing the intestine and causing diarrheal disease. We screened a genome-wide collection of CRISPR mutants derived from intestinal epithelial cells and identified mutants with enhanced survival following EHEC infection. Many had mutations that disrupted synthesis of a subset of lipids (sphingolipids) that includes the Stx receptor globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and hence protect against Stx intoxication. Unexpectedly, we found that sphingolipids also mediate early events associated with T3SS pathogenicity. Since antibiotics are contraindicated for the treatment of EHEC, therapeutics targeting sphingolipid biosynthesis are a promising alternative, as they could provide protection against both of the pathogen's key virulence factors.

CRISPR/Cas9 Screens Reveal Requirements for Host Cell Sulfation and Fucosylation in Bacterial Type III Secretion System-Mediated Cytotoxicity.

Type III secretion systems (T3SSs) inject bacterial effector proteins into host cells and underlie the virulence of many gram-negative pathogens. Studies have illuminated bacterial factors required for T3SS function, but the required host processes remain largely undefined. We coupled CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology with the cytotoxicity of two Vibrio parahaemolyticus T3SSs (T3SS1 and T3SS2) to identify human genome disruptions conferring resistance to T3SS-dependent cytotoxicity. We identity non-overlapping genes required for T3SS1- and T3SS2-mediated cytotoxicity. Genetic ablation of cell surface sulfation reduces bacterial adhesion and thereby alters the kinetics of T3SS1-mediated cytotoxicity. Cell surface fucosylation is required for T3SS2-dependent killing, and genetic inhibition of fucosylation prevents membrane insertion of the T3SS2 translocon complex. These findings reveal the importance of ubiquitous surface modifications for T3SS function, potentially explaining the broad tropism of V. parahaemolyticus, and highlight the utility of genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screens to discover processes underlying host-pathogen interactions.

Enteric Pathogens Exploit the Microbiota-generated Nutritional Environment of the Gut.

Host bacterial associations have a profound impact on health and disease. The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is inhabited by trillions of commensal bacteria that aid in the digestion of food and vitamin production and play crucial roles in human physiology. Disruption of these relationships and the structure of the bacterial communities that inhabit the gut can contribute to dysbiosis, leading to disease. This fundamental relationship between the host and microbiota relies on chemical signaling and nutrient availability and exchange. GI pathogens compete with the endogenous microbiota for a colonization niche (1, 2). The ability to monitor nutrients and combine this information with the host physiological state is important for the pathogen to precisely program the expression of its virulence repertoire. A major nutrient source is carbon, and although the impact of carbon nutrition on the colonization of the gut by the microbiota has been extensively studied, the extent to which carbon sources affect the regulation of virulence factors by invading pathogens has not been fully defined. The GI pathogen enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) gages sugar sources as an important cue to regulate expression of its virulence genes. EHEC senses whether it is in a gluconeogenic versus a glycolytic environment, as well as fluctuations of fucose levels to fine tune regulation of its virulence repertoire.

The impact of the milk glycobiome on the neonate gut microbiota.

Human milk is a complete source of nourishment for the infant. Exclusive breastfeeding not only sustains the infant's development but also guides the proliferation of a protective intestinal microbiota. Among the many components of milk that modulate the infant gut microbiota, the milk glycans, which comprise free oligosaccharides, glycoproteins, and glycolipids, are increasingly recognized as drivers of microbiota development and overall gut health. These glycans may display pleiotropic functions, conferring protection against infectious diseases and also acting as prebiotics, selecting for the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria. The prebiotic effect of milk glycans has direct application to prevention of diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis, a common and devastating disease of preterm infants. In this article, we review the impact of the human (and bovine) milk glycome on gut health through establishment of a milk-oriented microbiota in the neonate.

Shiga toxin in enterohemorrhagic E.coli: regulation and novel anti-virulence strategies.

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) are responsible for major outbreaks of bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) throughout the world. The mortality associated with EHEC infections stems from the production and release of a potent Shiga toxin (Stx) by these bacteria. Stx induces cell death in endothelial cells, primarily in the urinary tract, causing HUS. Stx was first described in Shigella dysenteriae serotype I by Kiyoshi Shiga and was discovered later in EHEC. Multiple environmental cues regulate the expression of Stx, including temperature, growth phase, antibiotics, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and quorum sensing. Currently, there is no effective treatment or prophylaxis for HUS. Because antibiotics trigger Stx production and their use to treat EHEC infections is controversial, alternative therapeutic strategies have become the focus of intense research. One such strategy explores quorum sensing inhibitors as therapeutics. These inhibitors target quorum sensing regulation of Stx expression without interfering with bacterial growth, leading to the hypothesis that these inhibitors impose less selective pressure for bacteria to develop drug resistance. In this review, we discuss factors that regulate Stx production in EHEC, as well as novel strategies to prevent and/or minimize the development of HUS in infected subjects.

Inter-kingdom signaling: chemical language between bacteria and host.

Chemical communication between cells ensures coordination of behavior. In prokaryotes, this chemical communication is usually referred to as quorum sensing, while eukaryotic cells signal through hormones. In the past years, a growing number of reports have shown that bacterial quorum sensing signals, called autoinducers, signal to eukaryotic cells, mimicking hormones. Conversely, host hormones can signal to bacterial cells through converging pathways to autoinducer signaling. This inter-kingdom signaling mediates symbiotic and pathogenic relationships between bacteria, mammalian and plant hosts.