Internalin AB-expressing recombinant Lactobacillus casei protects Caco-2 cells from Listeria monocytogenes-induced damages under simulated intestinal conditions.

BACKGROUND: Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular foodborne pathogen that employs a number of strategies to survive challenging gastrointestinal conditions. It proliferates in the gut and subsequently causes listeriosis in high-risk individuals. Therefore, inhibition of its adherence to the intestinal receptors is crucial in controlling its infection. In this study, the effect of our previously developed recombinant Lactobacillus casei strain expressing invasion protein, Internalin AB of L. monocytogenes (LbcInlAB) on epithelial infection processes of the latter under simulated intestinal conditions was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The confluent Caco-2 cell monolayer was pre-exposed to different L. casei strains at a multiplicity of exposure (MOE) of 10 for various periods before infection with L. monocytogenes at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10 under simulated intestinal conditions. Subsequently, L. monocytogenes adhesion, invasion, and translocation, cytotoxicity and impact on tight junction integrity of the Caco-2 cells were analyzed. RESULTS: Under the simulated gastrointestinal condition, LbcInlAB showed a significant increase (p<0.0001) in adherence to, invasion and translocation through the Caco-2 cells when compared with the wild type strain. Although LbcInlAB strain exhibited enhanced inhibition of L. monocytogenes, it was not able to displace L. monocytogenes cells already attached to the monolayer. Additionally, pre-exposure to LbcInlAB reduced L. monocytogenes-mediated cytotoxicity and protected the tight junction barrier function. CONCLUSION: The recombinant L. casei expressing InlAB shows potential for use as a prophylactic intervention strategy for targeted control of L. monocytogenes during the intestinal phase of infection.

Lactobacillus casei expressing Internalins A and B reduces Listeria monocytogenes interaction with Caco-2 cells in vitro.

Listeria monocytogenes has been implicated in a number of outbreaks including the recent largest outbreak in South Africa. Current methods for prevention of foodborne L. monocytogenes infection are inadequate, thus raising a need for an alternative strategy. Probiotic bioengineering is considered a prevailing approach to enhance the efficacy of probiotics for targeted control of pathogens. Here, the ability of Lactobacillus casei expressing the L. monocytogenes invasion proteins Internalins A and B (inlAB) to prevent infection was investigated. The inlAB operon was cloned and surface-expressed on L. casei resulting in a recombinant strain, LbcInl AB , and subsequently, its ability to inhibit adhesion, invasion and translocation of L. monocytogenes through enterocyte-like Caco-2 cells was examined. Cell surface expression of InlAB on the LbcInl AB was confirmed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. The LbcInl AB strain showed significantly higher (P < 0.0001) adherence, invasion and translocation of Caco-2 cells than the wild-type L. casei strain (LbcWT ), as well as reduced L. monocytogenes adhesion, invasion and transcellular passage through the cell monolayer than LbcWT . Furthermore, pre-exposure of Caco-2 cells to LbcInl AB significantly reduced L. monocytogenes-induced cell cytotoxicity and epithelial barrier dysfunction. These results suggest that InlAB-expressing L. casei could be a potential practical approach for prevention of listeriosis.