致肾盂肾炎大肠杆菌的毒力因子和调控

致肾盂肾炎大肠杆菌引起人的尿路感染,它的毒力因子包括表面毒力因子和分泌毒力因子两大类。表面毒力因子包括菌毛、鞭毛、黏附素和多糖类物质,主要在细菌的侵染过程中起作用。分泌毒力因子主要是溶血素、细胞毒性坏死因子等毒素蛋白,主要对宿主细胞产生毒力作用。本文简要综述致肾盂肾炎大肠杆菌毒力因子分泌所需要的5种分泌机制,并论及毒力因子的宏观调控和影响毒力调控的因素。     

Transposon Mutagenesis Identifies Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Biofilm Factors

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), which accounts for 85% of urinary tract infections (UTI), assembles biofilms in diverse environments, including the host. Besides forming biofilms on biotic surfaces and catheters, UPEC has evolved an intracellular pathogenic cascade that culminates in the formation of biofilm-like intracellular bacterial communities (IBCs) within bladder epithelial cells. Rapid bacterial replication during IBC formation augments a build-up in bacterial numbers and persistence within the host. Relatively little is known about factors mediating UPEC biofilm formation and how these overlap with IBC formation. To address this gap, we screened a UPEC transposon mutant library in three in vitro biofilm conditions: Luria broth (LB)-polyvinyl chloride (PVC), YESCA (yeast extract-Casamino Acids)-PVC, and YESCA-pellicle that are dependent on type 1 pili (LB) and curli (YESCA), respectively. Flagella are important in all three conditions. Mutants were identified that had biofilm defects in all three conditions but had no significant effects on the expression of type 1 pili, curli, or flagella. Thus, this approach uncovered a comprehensive inventory of novel effectors and regulators that are involved in UPEC biofilm formation under multiple conditions. A subset of these mutants was found to be dramatically attenuated and unable to form IBCs in a murine model of UTI. Collectively, this study expands our insights into UPEC multicellular behavior that may provide insights into IBC formation and virulence.     

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli as a model of host-parasite interaction

Resistance to mucosal infection varies greatly in the population, but the molecular basis of disease susceptibility is often unknown. Studies of host-pathogen infections are helpful to identify virulence factors, which characterise disease isolates, and successful defence strategies of hosts that resist infection. In the urinary tract infection (UTI) model, we have identified crucial steps in the pathogen-activated innate host response, and studied the genetic control of these activation steps. Furthermore, genetic variation in the innate host-response defence is investigated as a basis of disease susceptibility. The Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) controls initial mucosal response to uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). Bacterial TLR4 activation in epithelial cells leads to chemokine secretion and neutrophil recruitment and TLR4 mutant mice develop an asymptomatic carrier state. The chemokine receptor CXCR1 determines the efficiency of neutrophil migration and activation, and thus of bacterial clearance. CXCR1 mutant mice become bacteremic and develop renal scars and studies in UTI prone children have detected low CXCR1 expression, suggesting that CXCR1 is also essential for human disease susceptibility.     

Surfactant Protein D Inhibits Adherence of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli to the Bladder Epithelial Cells and the Bacterium-induced Cytotoxicity: A POSSIBLE FUNCTION IN URINARY TRACT*

The adherence of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) to the host urothelial surface is the first step for establishing UPEC infection. Uroplakin Ia (UPIa), a glycoprotein expressed on bladder urothelium, serves as a receptor for FimH, a lectin located at bacterial pili, and their interaction initiates UPEC infection. Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is known to be expressed on mucosal surfaces in various tissues besides the lung. However, the functions of SP-D in the non-pulmonary tissues are poorly understood. The purposes of this study were to investigate the possible function of SP-D expressed in the bladder urothelium and the mechanisms by which SP-D functions. SP-D was expressed in human bladder mucosa, and its mRNA was increased in the bladder of the UPEC infection model in mice. SP-D directly bound to UPEC and strongly agglutinated them in a Ca²⁺-dependent manner. Co-incubation of SP-D with UPEC decreased the bacterial adherence to 5637 cells, the human bladder cell line, and the UPEC-induced cytotoxicity. In addition, preincubation of SP-D with 5637 cells resulted in the decreased adherence of UPEC to the cells and in a reduced number of cells injured by UPEC. SP-D directly bound to UPIa and competed with FimH for UPIa binding. Consistent with the in vitro data, the exogenous administration of SP-D inhibited UPEC adherence to the bladder and dampened UPEC-induced inflammation in mice. These results support the conclusion that SP-D can protect the bladder urothelium against UPEC infection and suggest a possible function of SP-D in urinary tract.     

Role of Capsular Colanic Acid in Adhesion of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Urinary tract infections are the most common urologic disease in the United States and one of the most common bacterial infections of any organ system. Biofilms persist in the urinary tract and on catheter surfaces because biofilm microorganisms are resistant to host defense mechanisms and antibiotic therapy. The first step in the establishment of biofilm infections is bacterial adhesion; preventing bacterial adhesion represents a promising method of controlling biofilms. Evidence suggests that capsular polysaccharides play a role in adhesion and pathogenicity. This study focuses on the role of physiochemical and specific binding interactions during adhesion of colanic acid exopolysaccharide mutant strains. Bacterial adhesion was evaluated for isogenic uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains that differed in colanic acid expression. The atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to directly measure the reversible physiochemical and specific binding interactions between bacterial strains and various substrates as bacteria initially approach the interface. AFM results indicate that electrostatic interactions were not solely responsible for the repulsive forces between the colanic acid mutant strains and hydrophilic substrates. Moreover, hydrophobic interactions were not found to play a significant role in adhesion of the colanic acid mutant strains. Adhesion was also evaluated by parallel-plate flow cell studies in comparison to AFM force measurements to demonstrate that prolonged incubation times alter bacterial adhesion. Results from this study demonstrate that the capsular polysaccharide colanic acid does not enhance bacterial adhesion but rather blocks the establishment of specific binding as well as time-dependent interactions between uropathogenic E. coli and inert substrates.     

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli adhere to urinary catheters without using fimbriae

Abstract Five well-characterized urinary and fecal isolates of Escherichia coli were found to be hydrophilic irrespective of their serotypes and their ability to express fimbriae. All the strains were able to adhere to silicone latex urinary catheters, although strain 917, which expressed type P fimbriae as its only adhesin, adhered poorly. Although specific adhesins, particularly fimbriae, have been shown to mediate adhesion of E. coli to uroepithelial cells, they do not mediate specific adhesion onto urinary catheter material. The overall surfaces of the strains, tested using microelectrophoresis as a function of pH and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, were not significantly different, thus suggesting more non-specific adhesion mechanisms to urinary catheters.     

The Serum Resistome of a Globally Disseminated Multidrug Resistant Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Clone

Escherichia coli ST131 is a globally disseminated, multidrug resistant clone responsible for a high proportion of urinary tract and bloodstream infections. The rapid emergence and successful spread of E. coli ST131 is strongly associated with antibiotic resistance; however, this phenotype alone is unlikely to explain its dominance amongst multidrug resistant uropathogens circulating worldwide in hospitals and the community. Thus, a greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underpin the fitness of E. coli ST131 is required. In this study, we employed hyper-saturated transposon mutagenesis in combination with multiplexed transposon directed insertion-site sequencing to define the essential genes required for in vitro growth and the serum resistome (i.e. genes required for resistance to human serum) of E. coli EC958, a representative of the predominant E. coli ST131 clonal lineage. We identified 315 essential genes in E. coli EC958, 231 (73%) of which were also essential in E. coli K-12. The serum resistome comprised 56 genes, the majority of which encode membrane proteins or factors involved in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis. Targeted mutagenesis confirmed a role in serum resistance for 46 (82%) of these genes. The murein lipoprotein Lpp, along with two lipid A-core biosynthesis enzymes WaaP and WaaG, were most strongly associated with serum resistance. While LPS was the main resistance mechanism defined for E. coli EC958 in serum, the enterobacterial common antigen and colanic acid also impacted on this phenotype. Our analysis also identified a novel function for two genes, hyxA and hyxR, as minor regulators of O-antigen chain length. This study offers novel insight into the genetic make-up of E. coli ST131, and provides a framework for future research on E. coli and other Gram-negative pathogens to define their essential gene repertoire and to dissect the molecular mechanisms that enable them to survive in the bloodstream and cause disease.     

Occurrence of Antibiotic-Resistant Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Clonal Group A in Wastewater Effluents

Isolates of Escherichia coli belonging to clonal group A (CGA), a recently described disseminated cause of drug-resistant urinary tract infections in humans, were present in four of seven sewage effluents collected from geographically dispersed areas of the United States. All 15 CGA isolates (1% of the 1,484 isolates analyzed) exhibited resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ), accounting for 19.5% of the 77 TMP-SMZ-resistant isolates. Antimicrobial resistance patterns, virulence traits, O:H serotypes, and phylogenetic groupings were compared for CGA and selected non-CGA isolates. The CGA isolates exhibited a wider diversity of resistance profiles and somatic antigens than that found in most previous characterizations of this clonal group. This is the first report of recovery from outside a human host of E. coli CGA isolates with virulence factor and antibiotic resistance profiles typical of CGA isolates from a human source. The occurrence of “human-type” CGA in wastewater effluents demonstrates a potential mode for the dissemination of this clonal group in the environment, with possible secondary transmission to new human or animal hosts.     

High Frequency of Mutator Strains among Human Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolates

By using a panel of 603 commensal and pathogenic Escherichia coli and Shigella isolates, we showed that mutation rates of strains vary considerably among different ecotypes. Uropathogenic strains had the highest frequency of mutators, while strains from patients with bacteremia had the lowest mutation rates. No correlation between the mutation rates and antibiotic resistance was observed among the studied strains.     

大肠杆菌Tat蛋白质转运体系

Tat是大肠杆菌中能够将折叠蛋白质跨膜转运的体系,其信号肽中含有一个高度保守的双精氨酸模体。Tat体系包括TatA、TatB、TatC和TatE4种蛋白质,它们的复合物在大肠杆菌质膜上形成转运通道。大肠杆菌Tat体系转运的底物蛋白质多为呼吸电子传递链组分,与大肠杆菌的许多生命活动有关。     

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Superinfection Enhances the Severity of Mouse Bladder Infection

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) afflict over 9 million women in America every year, often necessitating long-term prophylactic antibiotics. One risk factor for UTI is frequent sexual intercourse, which dramatically increases the risk of UTI. The mechanism behind this increased risk is unknown; however, bacteriuria increases immediately after sexual intercourse episodes, suggesting that physical manipulation introduces periurethral flora into the urinary tract. In this paper, we investigated whether superinfection (repeat introduction of bacteria) resulted in increased risk of severe UTI, manifesting as persistent bacteriuria, high titer bladder bacterial burdens and chronic inflammation, an outcome referred to as chronic cystitis. Chronic cystitis represents unchecked luminal bacterial replication and is defined histologically by urothelial hyperplasia and submucosal lymphoid aggregates, a histological pattern similar to that seen in humans suffering chronic UTI. C57BL/6J mice are resistant to chronic cystitis after a single infection; however, they developed persistent bacteriuria and chronic cystitis when superinfected 24 hours apart. Elevated levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), keratinocyte cytokine (KC/CXCL1), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in the serum of C57BL/6J mice prior to the second infection predicted the development of chronic cystitis. These same cytokines have been found to precede chronic cystitis in singly infected C3H/HeN mice. Furthermore, inoculating C3H/HeN mice twice within a six-hour period doubled the proportion of mice that developed chronic cystitis. Intracellular bacterial replication, regulated hemolysin (HlyA) expression, and caspase 1/11 activation were essential for this increase. Microarrays conducted at four weeks post inoculation in both mouse strains revealed upregulation of IL-1 and antimicrobial peptides during chronic cystitis. These data suggest a mechanism by which caspase-1/11 activation and IL-1 secretion could predispose certain women to recurrent UTI after frequent intercourse, a predisposition predictable by several serum biomarkers in two murine models.     

猪产肠毒素大肠杆菌987P蛋白受体的鉴定

产肠毒素大肠杆菌(ETEC)定植于仔猪肠道的第一步是通过987P菌毛与小肠上皮细胞表面刷状缘大分子(BBV)结合。对分离的BBV进行SDS-PAGE和Ligand blot分析表明, 在32~35KDa区域内有一条带能被987P菌毛探针所识别和结合, 所结合的条带经胰蛋白酶消化后, 通过微内径反相高效液相色谱(RP-HPLC)分离出多条主要峰带蛋白峰带, 采用衬质辅助激光解吸与电离质谱法(MALDI-MS)对主要峰带进行分析, 结合多肽氨基酸测序和Blast同源性比较, 得到3个氨基酸基序(AETAP、ALAAAGYDVEK和LGLK), 其序列与人和鼠源的组蛋白H1高度同源; 来源于仔猪小肠上皮细胞BBV的H1蛋白与BBV一样都能特异性结合纯化的987P菌毛蛋白。上述结果表明, 仔猪小肠上皮细胞BBV的组蛋白H1是987P菌毛蛋白的受体。     

猪产肠毒素大肠杆菌987P蛋白受体的鉴定

产肠毒素大肠杆菌(ETEC)定植于仔猪肠道的第一步是通过987P菌毛与小肠上皮细胞表面刷状缘大分子(BBV)结合。对分离的BBV进行SDS-PAGE和Ligand blot分析表明, 在32~35KDa区域内有一条带能被987P菌毛探针所识别和结合, 所结合的条带经胰蛋白酶消化后, 通过微内径反相高效液相色谱(RP-HPLC)分离出多条主要峰带蛋白峰带, 采用衬质辅助激光解吸与电离质谱法(MALDI-MS)对主要峰带进行分析, 结合多肽氨基酸测序和Blast同源性比较, 得到3个氨基酸基序(AETAP、ALAAAGYDVEK和LGLK), 其序列与人和鼠源的组蛋白H1高度同源; 来源于仔猪小肠上皮细胞BBV的H1蛋白与BBV一样都能特异性结合纯化的987P菌毛蛋白。上述结果表明, 仔猪小肠上皮细胞BBV的组蛋白H1是987P菌毛蛋白的受体。