Project description:This project aims to examinw the effects of an anti-Salmonella bacteriophage preparation, BAFASAL, on ex vivo human gut microbiome composition and function using a multi-omics approach
Project description:The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that replenishing the microbiota with a fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) can rescue a host from an advanced stage of sepsis. We developed a clinically-relevant mouse model of lethal polymicrobial gut-derived sepsis in mice using a 4-member pathogen community (Candida albicans, Klebsiella oxytoca, Serratia marcescens, Enterococcus faecalis) isolated from a critically ill patient. In order to mimic pre-operative surgical patient condition mice were exposed to food restriction and antibiotics. Approximately 18 hours prior to surgery food was removed from the cages and the mice were allowed only tap water. Each mouse received an intramuscular Cefoxitin injection 30 minutes prior to the incision at a concentration of 25 mg/kg into the left thigh. Mice were then subjected to a midline laparotomy, 30% hepatectomy of the left lateral lobe of the liver and a direct cecal inoculation of 200 µL of the four pathogen community. On postoperative day one, the mice were administered rectal enema. Mice were given either 1 ml of fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) or an autoclaved control (AC). This was again repeated on postoperative day two. Mice were then followed for mortality. Chow was restored to the cages on postoperative day two, approximately 45 hours after the operation. The injection of fecal microbiota transplant by enema significantly protected mice survival, reversed the composition of gut microflora and down-regulated the host inflammatory response. The cecum, left lobe of the liver, and spleen were isolated from mice for microarray processing with three or more replicates for six expermental conditions: non-treated control, SAHC POD1, SAHC.AC POD2, SAHC.FMT POD2, SAHC.AC POD7, SAHC.FMT POD7
Project description:The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that replenishing the microbiota with a fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) can rescue a host from an advanced stage of sepsis. We developed a clinically-relevant mouse model of lethal polymicrobial gut-derived sepsis in mice using a 4-member pathogen community (Candida albicans, Klebsiella oxytoca, Serratia marcescens, Enterococcus faecalis) isolated from a critically ill patient. In order to mimic pre-operative surgical patient condition mice were exposed to food restriction and antibiotics. Approximately 18 hours prior to surgery food was removed from the cages and the mice were allowed only tap water. Each mouse received an intramuscular Cefoxitin injection 30 minutes prior to the incision at a concentration of 25 mg/kg into the left thigh. Mice were then subjected to a midline laparotomy, 30% hepatectomy of the left lateral lobe of the liver and a direct cecal inoculation of 200 µL of the four pathogen community. On postoperative day one, the mice were administered rectal enema. Mice were given either 1 ml of fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) or an autoclaved control (AC). This was again repeated on postoperative day two. Mice were then followed for mortality. Chow was restored to the cages on postoperative day two, approximately 45 hours after the operation. The injection of fecal microbiota transplant by enema significantly protected mice survival, reversed the composition of gut microflora and down-regulated the host inflammatory response.
Project description:An ex vivo system was developed to monitor Salmonella growth, virulence (SPI1 expression) and gene expression (measured by microarray) in response to the permissive and exclusive communities. Yellow fluorescent protein (yfp) and cyan fluorescent protein (cfp) variants were fused to the rrn growth-dependent promoter and the hilA operon (SPI-1 cell invasion locus), respectively, in Salmonella. Fluorescence associated with the YFP and CFP reporters was used to monitor Salmonella growth and SPI1 virulence gene expression in co-culture with cecal communities ex vivo. The Salmonella reporter strain was grown in dialysis tubing in a simulated cecal medium, ex vivo cecal contents (EVCC), submerged in permissive or exclusive communities, to enable collection of Salmonella cells for study. Initially, the fluorescent reporters were used to empirically determine the earliest time point at which the exclusive community had the most significant impact on Salmonella growth or virulence expression relative to the permissive community, which was six-hour co-culture of the reporter strain with the communities. Cells were harvested at that time point for gene expression comparisons. Genes within metabolic pathways that were differentially expressed in permissive vs. exclusive communities were subsequently deleted in Salmonella and mutants’ growth dynamics when cocultured with the exclusive community were monitored over 48 hours using a fluorescence plate reader.
Project description:This study aimed to analyze changes in gut microbiota composition in mice after transplantation of fecal microbiota (FMT, N = 6) from the feces of NSCLC patients by analyzing fecal content using 16S rRNA sequencing, 10 days after transplantation. Specific-pathogen-free (SPF) mice were used for each experiments (N=4) as controls.
Project description:The objective of this study was to assess the impact of Salmonella bacteriophage treatment on microbiome in the ceca and serum of the broilers during the rearing period
Project description:We systematically assessed the transcriptomic changes of circulating leukocytes from whole blood of mice that had undergone polymicrobial sepsis. We systematically assessed the transcriptomic changes of liver tissue of mice that had undergone polymicrobial sepsis. Data indicate strong dissimilarities in early gene expression during murine sepsis affecting several pathways such as Toll-like receptor signalling, MAPK signalling, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, chemokine-signalling, and apoptosis during murine sepsis.
Project description:Improved understanding of the interplay between host and microbes stands to illuminate new avenues for disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Here, we provide a high-resolution view of the dynamics between host and gut microbiota during antibiotic induced intestinal microbiota depletion, opportunistic Salmonella typhimurium and Clostridium difficile pathogenesis, and recovery from these perturbed states in a mouse model. Host-centric proteome and microbial community profiles provide an unprecedented longitudinal view revealing the interdependence between host and microbiota in evolving dysbioses. Time- and condition-specific molecular and microbial signatures are evident and clearly distinguished from pathogen-independent inflammatory fingerprints. Our data reveal that mice recovering from antibiotic treatment or C. difficile infection retain lingering signatures of inflammation despite compositional normalization of the microbiota, and host responses could be rapidly and durably relieved through fecal transplant. These experiments define a novel platform for combining orthogonal, untargeted approaches to shed new light on the gastrointestinal ecosystem.
Project description:Purpose: identify differentially expressed genes between ex-Treg obtained 5, 10 or 15 days post-adoptive transfer into a lymphopenic environment compared to ex vivo Treg in order to identify Treg subset with heightened instability. Method: Treg from Foxp3YFP-Cre Rosa26RFP (PMID: 18387831, PMID: 17171761) were co-injected with congenically-disparated naive T cells in a 1:1 ratio into Rag1KO mice and ex-Treg were sorted at 15 days, 10 days or 5 days post-transfer. As a control, ex vivo Treg were sorted from Foxp3YFP-Cre Rosa26RFP (d0 sample). Next, samples were stained with multiplexing antibodies using the BD Single-Cell Multiplexing Kit (BD biosciences), then pooled and stained with the following oligonucleotide-conjugated antibodies: anti‑CD25 (PC61), anti-CD44 (IM7), anti-CD62L (MEL-14), anti-GITR (DTA-1), anti-CD4 (RM4-5), anti‑TCRb (H57-597), anti‑CD69 (H1.2F3), anti‑TIGIT (1G9), anti‑CD95 (Jo2), anti‑CD122 (TM‑1β), anti‑Tim-3 (5D12), anti‑CCR7 (4B12), anti‑CD103 (M290), anti‑CD279 (J43), anti‑CD274 (MIH5), anti‑CD233 (C9B7W), anti‑CD71 (C2), anti‑CD278 (7E7G9), anti‑ITGB7 (M293), anti‑CD137 (1AH2), anti‑CD40 (3/23), anti‑CD3e (145-2C) from BD Biosciences. Single-cell capture and cDNA library preparation was performed using the BD Rhapsody Single-cell analysis system (BD Biosciences), according to the manufacturer’s instructions, using a custom gene panel (591 genes). Sequencing was performed on an Illumina NextSeq500 instrument using a Mid‑Output kit v2.5 (150 cycles, paired-end). Sample demultiplexing, barcode processing, alignment, filtering, UMI counting were done using the standard BD Biosciences Rhapsody analysis pipeline on Seven Bridges (www.sevenbridges.com). Result: In this study, we showed that ex-Treg downregulate Treg core-specific genes immediatly upon adoptive transfer into a lymphopenic environment. Further, we identified a Treg population enriched for unstable Trg clones. Conclusion: Our study was able to identify a Treg subset enriched for unstable Treg with plastic potential. This Treg subset appears highly enriched for naïve peripheral-induced Treg.
Project description:BACKGROUND:Fecal microbiota transfer (FMT) is increasingly being used in Ger- many, as in other countries, for the treatment of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). FMT is now being performed both for research and in individual patients outside of clinical trials. No compulsory standards have been established to date for donor screening or for the method of fecal transfer. Given the potential dangers of FMT, this would seem to be urgently necessary. METHODS:This review is based on pertinent literature retrieved by a selective search, including the reports of consensus conferences from Germany and abroad. RESULTS:Because of its high efficacy, FMT is the treatment of choice for rCDI. It is largely free of adverse side effects, even in immune-deficient patients, as long as comprehensive and repeated donor screening has been carried out, with extensive clinical and microbiological testing and with the use of structured questionnaires. The ingestion of frozen, encapsulated microbiota is just as effective as other modes of delivery for the treatment of rCDI. CONCLUSION:Encapsulation of the fecal microbiome (FM) and storage at -20°C is the method of choice, because it can be standardized with the necessary quality controls and it is readily available. Patients with rCDI should undergo FMT by orally ingesting the capsules. There are ongoing research efforts to identify the active e FM. It is not yet clear when the ultimate goal of recombinant production can be achieved.