A Biomimetic Porcine Urothelial Model for Assessing Escherichia coli Pathogenicity

Urinary tract infections can be severe, sometimes fatal, diseases whose etiological pathogens are predominantly uropathogenic strains of (UPEC). To investigate the UPEC pathogenesis, several models have already been established with minor or major disadvantages. The aim was to develop a simple, fast...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Microorganisms (Basel) 2022-04, Vol.10 (4), p.783
Main Authors: Predojević, Luka, Keše, Darja, Žgur Bertok, Darja, Železnik Ramuta, Taja, Veranič, Peter, Erdani Kreft, Mateja, Starčič Erjavec, Marjanca
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biomimetics
Bladder
Cell culture
Cell growth
E coli
electron microscopy
Etiology
infection
Lipids
Lipopolysaccharides
Microscopy
Model testing
Organisms
Pathogenesis
Pathogenicity
Pathogens
Permeability
Physiology
Plasma
Scanning electron microscopy
Statistical analysis
UPEC
Urinary tract
Urinary tract diseases
Urinary tract infections
Urogenital system
Urothelium
Virulence
virulence-associated genes
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Summary:Urinary tract infections can be severe, sometimes fatal, diseases whose etiological pathogens are predominantly uropathogenic strains of (UPEC). To investigate the UPEC pathogenesis, several models have already been established with minor or major disadvantages. The aim was to develop a simple, fast, and inexpensive biomimetic in vitro model based on normal porcine urothelial (NPU) cells that are genetically and physiologically similar to human bladder urothelium and to perform basic studies of pathogenicity. Initially, the model was tested using a set of control strains and, subsequently, with human strains isolated either from patients with urinary infections or from the feces of healthy individuals. A drop in viability of NPU cells was used as a measure of the pathogenicity of the individual strain tested. To visualize the subcellular events, transmission and scanning electron microscopy was performed. The strains were tested for the presence of different virulence-associated genes, phylogroup, type of core lipid, O-serotype, and type of lipopolysaccharide and a statistical analysis of possible correlations between strains' characteristics and the effect on the model was performed. Results showed that our model has the discriminatory power to distinguish pathogenic from non-pathogenic strains, and to identify new, potentially pathogenic strains.
ISSN:2076-2607
2076-2607
DOI:10.3390/microorganisms10040783