Renato L. Santos

Simian immunodeficiency virus–induced mucosal interleukin-17 deficiency promotes Salmonella dissemination from the gut

Salmonella typhimurium causes a localized enteric infection in immunocompetent individuals, whereas HIV-infected individuals develop a life-threatening bacteremia. Here we show that simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection results in depletion of T helper type 17 (TH17) cells in the ileal mucosa of rhesus macaques, thereby impairing mucosal barrier functions to S. typhimurium dissemination. In SIV-negative macaques, the gene expression profile induced by S. typhimurium in ligated ileal loops was dominated by TH17 responses, including the expression of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and IL-22. TH17 cells were markedly depleted in SIV-infected rhesus macaques, resulting in blunted TH17 responses to S. typhimurium infection and increased bacterial dissemination. IL-17 receptor–deficient mice showed increased systemic dissemination of S. typhimurium from the gut, suggesting that IL-17 deficiency causes defects in mucosal barrier function. We conclude that SIV infection impairs the IL-17 axis, an arm of the mucosal immune response preventing systemic microbial dissemination from the gastrointestinal tract.

Animal models of Salmonella infections: enteritis versus typhoid fever

The most common disease syndromes caused by Salmonella serotypes in humans, typhoid fever and enteritis, can be modeled using Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium infections in mice and calves, respectively. This article reviews murine typhoid and bovine enteritis and discusses strengths, limitations and distinctive features of these animal models.

Lipocalin-2 Resistance Confers an Advantage to Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhimurium for Growth and Survival in the Inflamed Intestine

In response to enteric pathogens, the inflamed intestine produces antimicrobial proteins, a process mediated by the cytokines IL-17 and IL-22. Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium thrives in the inflamed intestinal environment, suggesting that the pathogen is resistant to antimicrobials it encounters in the intestinal lumen. However, the identity of these antimicrobials and corresponding bacterial resistance mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we report that enteric infection of rhesus macaques and mice with S. Typhimurium resulted in marked Il-17- and IL-22-dependent intestinal epithelial induction and luminal accumulation of lipocalin-2, an antimicrobial protein that prevents bacterial iron acquisition. Resistance to lipocalin-2, mediated by the iroBCDE iroN locus, conferred a competitive advantage to the bacterium in colonizing the inflamed intestine of wild-type but not of lipocalin-2-deficient mice. Thus, resistance to lipocalin-2 defines a specific adaptation of S. Typhimurium for growth in the inflamed intestine.

Molecular Pathogenesis of Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhimurium-Induced Diarrhea

Recent studies on the molecular pathogenesis of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium-induced enterocolitis using tissue culture models and the neonatal calf model have led to an improved understanding of key events occurring during the complex series of host-pathogen interactions leading to

The Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhimurium Effector Proteins SipA, SopA, SopB, SopD, and SopE2 Act in Concert To Induce Diarrhea in Calves

ABSTRACT Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium requires a functional type III secretion system encoded by Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 (SPI1) to cause diarrhea. We investigated the role of genes encoding secreted target proteins of the SPI1-associated type III secretion system for enteropathogenicity in calves. Salmonella serotype Typhimurium strains having mutations in sptP, avrA, sspH1, or slrP induced fluid secretion in the bovine ligated ileal loop model at levels similar to that of the wild type. In contrast, mutations in sipA, sopA, sopB, sopD, or sopE2 significantly reduced fluid accumulation in bovine ligated ileal loops at 8 h postinfection. A strain carrying mutations in sipA, sopA, sopB, sopD, and sopE2 (sipA sopABDE2 mutant) caused the same level of fluid accumulation in bovine ligated ileal loops as a strain carrying a mutation in sipB, a SPI1 gene required for the translocation of effector proteins into host cells. A positive correlation was observed between the severity of histopathological lesions detected in the ileal mucosa and the levels of fluid accumulation induced by the different mutants. After oral infection of calves, the Salmonella serotype Typhimurium sipAsopABDE2 mutant caused only mild diarrhea and was more strongly attenuated than strains having only single mutations. These data demonstrate that SipA, SopA, SopB, SopD, and SopE2 are major virulence factors responsible for diarrhea during Salmonella serotype Typhimurium infection of calves.

Life in the inflamed intestine, Salmonella style

The lower gastrointestinal tract is densely populated with resident microbial communities (microbiota), which do not elicit overt host responses but rather provide benefit to the host, including niche protection from pathogens. However, introduction of bacteria into the underlying tissue evokes acute inflammation. Non-typhoidal Salmonella serotypes (NTS) elicit this stereotypic host response by actively penetrating the intestinal epithelium and surviving in tissue macrophages. Initial responses generated by bacterial host cell interaction are amplified in tissue through the interleukin (IL)-18/interferon-gamma and IL-23/IL-17 axes, resulting in the activation of mucosal barrier functions against NTS dissemination. However, the pathogen is adapted to survive antimicrobial defenses encountered in the lumen of the inflamed intestine. This strategy enables NTS to exploit inflammation to outcompete the intestinal microbiota, and promotes the Salmonella transmission by the fecal/oral route.

Pathogenesis of bovine brucellosis.

Bovine brucellosis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases worldwide, and is of particular significance in developing countries. The disease, which results in serious economic losses due to late term abortion, stillborn and weakly calves, is caused by Gram negative coccobacilli bacteria of the genus Brucella. Lesions consist of necrotic placentitis and interstitial mastitis in pregnant cows, and fibrinous pleuritis with interstitial pneumonia in aborted fetuses and newborn calves. This article considers the pathogenesis of Brucella abortus and reviews the ability of the pathogen to invade phagocytic and non-phagocytic host cells, resist the acidified intraphagosomal environment, and inhibit phagosome-lysosome fusion. Significant aspects of innate and adaptive immunity against brucellosis are also discussed.

Interleukin-23 Orchestrates Mucosal Responses to Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhimurium in the Intestine

ABSTRACT Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium causes an acute inflammatory reaction in the ceca of streptomycin-pretreated mice that involves T-cell-dependent induction of gamma interferon (IFN-γ), interleukin-22 (IL-22), and IL-17 expression (genes Ifn-γ, Il-22, and Il-17, respectively). We investigated here the role of IL-23 in initiating these inflammatory responses using the streptomycin-pretreated mouse model. Compared to wild-type mice, the expression of IL-17 was abrogated, IL-22 expression was markedly reduced, but IFN-γ expression was normal in the ceca of IL-23p19-deficient mice during serotype Typhimurium infection. IL-23p19-deficient mice also exhibited a markedly reduced expression of regenerating islet-derived 3 gamma, keratinocyte-derived cytokine, and reduced neutrophil recruitment into the cecal mucosa during infection. Analysis of CD3+ lymphocytes in the intestinal mucosa by flow cytometry revealed that αβ T cells were the predominant cell type expressing the IL-23 receptor in naive mice. However, a marked increase in the number of IL-23 receptor-expressing γδ T cells was observed in the lamina propria during serotype Typhimurium infection. Compared to wild-type mice, γδ T-cell-receptor-deficient mice exhibited blunted expression of IL-17 during serotype Typhimurium infection, while IFN-γ expression was normal. These data suggested that γδ T cells are a significant source, but not the sole source, of IL-17 in the acutely inflamed cecal mucosa of mice. Collectively, our results point to IL-23 as an important player in initiating a T-cell-dependent amplification of inflammatory responses in the intestinal mucosa during serotype Typhimurium infection.

T Cells Help To Amplify Inflammatory Responses Induced by Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhimurium in the Intestinal Mucosa

ABSTRACT Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium causes an acute inflammatory reaction in the ceca of streptomycin-pretreated mice. We determined global changes in gene expression elicited by serotype Typhimurium in the cecal mucosa. The gene expression profile was dominated by T-cell-derived cytokines and genes whose expression is known to be induced by these cytokines. Markedly increased mRNA levels of genes encoding gamma interferon (IFN-γ), interleukin-22 (IL-22), and IL-17 were detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Furthermore, the mRNA levels of genes whose expression is induced by IFN-γ, IL-22, or IL-17, including genes encoding macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (Nos2), lipocalin-2 (Lcn2), MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and keratinocyte-derived cytokine (KC), were also markedly increased. To assess the importance of T cells in orchestrating this proinflammatory gene expression profile, we depleted T cells by using a monoclonal antibody prior to investigating cecal inflammation caused by serotype Typhimurium in streptomycin-pretreated mice. Depletion of CD3+ T cells resulted in a dramatic reduction in gross pathology, a significantly reduced recruitment of neutrophils, and a marked reduction in mRNA levels of Ifn-γ, Il-22, Il-17, Nos2, Lcn2, and Kc. Our results suggest that T cells play an important role in amplifying inflammatory responses induced by serotype Typhimurium in the cecal mucosa.

Morphologic and molecular characterization of Salmonella typhimurium infection in neonatal calves

The host response to Salmonella plays a major role in the outcome of infection. The present study was undertaken to further characterize Salmonella typhimurium infection in neonatal calves at both the morphologic and the molecular level using the ligated ileal loop model. Eight 4–5-week-old male Holstein calves underwent laparotomy, and loops were prepared in the ileum. The loops were either inoculated with an S. typhimurium strain pathogenic for cattle or injected with sterile LB broth as control. Samples for histology, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and RNA extraction were collected at various time points between 5 minutes and 12 hours postinfection. Invasion of both M cells and enterocytes began at 15 minutes postinfection. No specific cell type was the main target for invasion. Intracellular bacteria were observed in the lamina propria after 1 hour postinfection. A severe acute neutrophilic response was associated with invasion of the Peyers patches. Upregulated expression of CXC chemokines (interleukin [IL]-8, growth-related oncogenes, [GRO] α and γ, and granulocyte chemotactic protein [GCP]2) was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction beginning at 1 hour postinfection. Expression of proinflammatory (IL-1β, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]α) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10, IL-1Ra, and IL-4) cytokines was also assessed. A marked increase in expression of IL-1β was observed, whereas the profile of expression of IL-18 and TNFα did not change after infection. Upregulation of IL-1Ra and IL-4 but not of IL-10 was observed. These findings indicate that infection of bovine ligated ileal loops with S. typhimurium results in an acute neutrophilic inflammatory response that is associated with the upregulation of CXC chemokines (IL-8, GROα and γ, and GCP2), IL-1β, IL-1Ra, and IL-4.