Project description:Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major cause of diarrhea in piglets; ETEC cells colonize the intestinal mucosa with adhesins and deliver toxins that cause fluid loss. This study determined the antiadhesive properties of bacterial exopolysaccharides (reuteran and levan) and related glycans (dextran and inulin) in a small intestinal segment perfusion (SISP) model. The SISP model used 10 jejunal segments from 5-week-old piglets. Five segments were infected with ETEC expressing K88 fimbriae (ETEC K88), while five segments were treated with saline. Every two segments (ETEC and non-ETEC infected) were infused with 65 ml of 10 g liter(-1) of glycans or saline (control) for 8 h. High-resolution melting-curve (HRM) quantitative PCR (qPCR) indicated that E. coli is the dominant bacterium in infected segments, while other bacteria were predominant in noninfected segments. Infection by ETEC K88 was also verified by qPCR; gene copy numbers of K88 fimbriae and the heat-labile toxin (LT) in mucosal scrapings and outflow fluid of infected segments were significantly higher than those in noninfected segments. Genes coding for K88 fimbriae and LT were also detected in noninfected segments. LT amplicons from infected and noninfected segments were 99% identical over 481 bp, demonstrating the presence of autochthonous ETEC K88. All glycans reduced fluid loss caused by ETEC K88 infection. Reuteran tended (P = 0.06) to decrease ETEC K88 levels in mucosal scraping sample, as judged by qPCR. Fluorescent in situ hybridization analysis demonstrated that reuteran significantly (P = 0.012) decreased levels of adherent ETEC K88. Overall, reuteran may prevent piglet diarrhea by reducing adhesion of ETEC K88.
Project description:Little is known about the regulatory effect of microbiota on the proliferation and regeneration of ISCs. Here, we found that L. reuteri stimulated the proliferation of intestinal epithelia by increasing the expression of R-spondins and thus activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The proliferation-stimulating effect of Lactobacillus on repair is further enhanced under TNF -induced intestinal mucosal damage, and the number of Lgr5+ cells is maintained. Moreover, compared to the effects of C. rodentium on the induction of intestinal inflammation and crypt hyperplasia in mice, L. reuteri protected the intestinal mucosal barrier integrity by moderately modulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to avoid overactivation. L. reuteri had the ability to maintain the number of Lgr5+ cells and stimulate intestinal epithelial proliferation to repair epithelial damage and reduce proinflammatory cytokine secretion in the intestine and the LPS concentration in serum. Moreover, activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway also induced differentiation toward Paneth cells and increased antimicrobial peptide expression to inhibit C. rodentium colonization. The protective effect of Lactobacillus against C. rodentium infection disappeared upon application of the Wnt antagonist Wnt-C59 in both mice and intestinal organoids. This study demonstrates that Lactobacillus is effective at maintaining intestinal epithelial regeneration and homeostasis as well as at repairing intestinal damage after pathological injury and is thus a promising alternative therapeutic method for intestinal inflammation.
Project description:Since the exposure of fibroblasts to prolonged UVA radiation induces oxidative stress and apoptosis, there is a need for effective skin protection compounds with cytoprotective and antioxidant properties. One of their sources is Amaranthus cruentus L. seed oil (AmO), which is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, squalene, vitamin E derivatives and phytosterols. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether AmO evokes a protective effect on the apoptosis induced by UVA radiation in human skin fibroblasts. UVA radiation at an applied dose of 10 J/cm2 caused a significant reduction in the survival of human skin fibroblasts and directed them into the apoptosis pathway. Increased expression of p53, caspase-3, caspase-9 and PARP proteins in UVA-treated fibroblasts suggests the intrinsic mechanism of apoptosis. Application of the oil at 0.1% and 0.15% concentrations to UVA-treated cells decreased the expression of these proteins, which was accompanied by increased cell survival. Similarly, the UVA-dependent decrease in the expression of p-Akt and mTOR proteins was restored under the effect of the studied oil. The molecular mechanism of this phenomenon was related to the stimulation of antioxidant processes through the activation of Nrf2. This suggests that AmO stimulated the antioxidant system in fibroblasts, preventing the effects of UVA-induced oxidative stress, which may lead to pharmaceutical and cosmetological applications as a sun-protective substance.
Project description:Human microbiome-derived strains of Lactobacillus reuteri potently suppress proinflammatory cytokines like human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) by converting the amino acid l-histidine to the biogenic amine histamine. Histamine suppresses mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation and cytokine production by signaling via histamine receptor type 2 (H2) on myeloid cells. Investigations of the gene expression profiles of immunomodulatory L. reuteri ATCC PTA 6475 highlighted numerous genes that were highly expressed during the stationary phase of growth, when TNF suppression is most potent. One such gene was found to be a regulator of genes involved in histidine-histamine metabolism by this probiotic species. During the course of these studies, this gene was renamed the Lactobacillus reuteri-specific immunoregulatory (rsiR) gene. The rsiR gene is essential for human TNF suppression by L. reuteri and expression of the histidine decarboxylase (hdc) gene cluster on the L. reuteri chromosome. Inactivation of rsiR resulted in diminished TNF suppression in vitro and reduced anti-inflammatory effects in vivo in a trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced mouse model of acute colitis. A L. reuteri strain lacking an intact rsiR gene was unable to suppress colitis and resulted in greater concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA) in the bloodstream of affected animals. The PhdcAB promoter region targeted by rsiR was defined by reporter gene experiments. These studies support the presence of a regulatory gene, rsiR, which modulates the expression of a gene cluster known to mediate immunoregulation by probiotics at the transcriptional level. These findings may point the way toward new strategies for controlling gene expression in probiotics by dietary interventions or microbiome manipulation.
Project description:We found that Lactobacillus reuteri CRL1098, a lactic acid bacterium isolated from sourdough, is able to produce cobalamin. The sugar-glycerol cofermentation in vitamin B(12)-free medium showed that this strain was able to reduce glycerol through a well-known cobalamin-dependent reaction with the formation of 1,3-propanediol as a final product. The cell extract of L. reuteri corrected the coenzyme B12 requirement of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis ATCC 7830 and allowed the growth of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (metE cbiB) and Escherichia coli (metE) in minimal medium. Preliminary genetic studies of cobalamin biosynthesis genes from L. reuteri allowed the identification of cob genes which encode the CobA, CbiJ, and CbiK enzymes involved in the cobalamin pathway. The cobamide produced by L. reuteri, isolated in its cyanide form by using reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography, showed a UV-visible spectrum identical to that of standard cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12).
Project description:Lactobacillus reuteri CECT8605 has shown potential probiotic properties in both in vitro and in vivo assays. Besides its beneficial characteristics, general aspects concerning genetic stability and safety for human consumption have been studied. Its genome sequence has been a useful tool to support preliminary conclusions based on empirical observations.
Project description:Clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and the CRISPR-associated (Cas) nuclease protect bacteria and archeae from foreign DNA by site-specific cleavage of incoming DNA. Type-II CRISPR-Cas systems, such as the Streptococcus pyogenes CRISPR-Cas9 system, can be adapted such that Cas9 can be guided to a user-defined site in the chromosome to introduce double-stranded breaks. Here we have developed and optimized CRISPR-Cas9 function in the lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 6475. We established proof-of-concept showing that CRISPR-Cas9 selection combined with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) recombineering is a realistic approach to identify at high efficiencies edited cells in a lactic acid bacterium. We show for three independent targets that subtle changes in the bacterial genome can be recovered at efficiencies ranging from 90 to 100%. By combining CRISPR-Cas9 and recombineering, we successfully applied codon saturation mutagenesis in the L. reuteri chromosome. Also, CRISPR-Cas9 selection is critical to identify low-efficiency events such as oligonucleotide-mediated chromosome deletions. This also means that CRISPR-Cas9 selection will allow identification of recombinant cells in bacteria with low recombineering efficiencies, eliminating the need for ssDNA recombineering optimization procedures. We envision that CRISPR-Cas genome editing has the potential to change the landscape of genome editing in lactic acid bacteria, and other Gram-positive bacteria.
Project description:(1) Background: The systemic administration of therapeutic agents to the intestine including cytokines, such as Interleukin-22 (IL-22), is compromised by damage to the microvasculature 24 hrs after total body irradiation (TBI). At that time, there is significant death of intestinal microvascular endothelial cells and destruction of the lamina propria, which limits drug delivery through the circulation, thus reducing the capacity of therapeutics to stabilize the numbers of Lgr5+ intestinal crypt stem cells and their progeny, and improve survival. By its direct action on intestinal stem cells and their villus regeneration capacity, IL-22 is both an ionizing irradiation protector and mitigator. (2) Methods: To improve delivery of IL-22 to the irradiated intestine, we gavaged Lactobacillus-reuteri as a platform for the second-generation probiotic Lactobacillus-reuteri-Interleukin-22 (LR-IL-22). (3) Results: There was effective radiation mitigation by gavage of LR-IL-22 at 24 h after intestinal irradiation. Multiple biomarkers of radiation damage to the intestine, immune system and bone marrow were improved by LR-IL-22 compared to the gavage of control LR or intraperitoneal injection of IL-22 protein. (4) Conclusions: Oral administration of LR-IL-22 is an effective protector and mitigator of intestinal irradiation damage.
Project description:Commensal (symbiont) bacteria form communities in various regions of the bodies of vertebrates. Phylogenetic analysis of gut communities is advanced, but the relationships, especially at the trophic level, between commensals that share gut habitats of monogastric animals have not been investigated to any extent. Lactobacillus reuteri strain 100-23 and Lactobacillus johnsonii strain 100-33 cohabit in the forestomach of mice. According to the niche exclusion principle, this should not be possible because both strains utilise the two main fermentable carbohydrates present in the stomach digesta: glucose and maltose. We show, based on gene transcription analysis, in vitro physiological assays, and in vivo experiments that the two strains can co-exist in the forestomach habitat because L. reuteri 100-23 transports maltose into its cells more efficiently than does L. johnsonii 100-33. Conversely, strain 100-33 transports glucose more efficiently than 100-23. As a result, 100-23 shows a preference for growth using maltose, whereas 100-33 prefers glucose. Mutation of the maltose phosphorylase gene (malA) of strain 100-23 prevented its growth on maltose-containing culture medium, and resulted in the numerical dominance of 100-33 in the forestomach. The fundamental niche of L. reuteri 100-23 in the mouse forestomach can be defined in terms of glucose and maltose fermentation. Its realised niche when L. johnsonii 100-33 is present is maltose fermentation. Hence nutritional adaptations provided niche differentiation that enabled cohabitation by the two strains through resource partitioning in the mouse forestomach. This real life, trophic phenomenon conforms to a mathematical model.