Inflammation associated ethanolamine facilitates infection by Crohn's disease-linked adherent-invasive Escherichia coliResearch in context

• Published in: EBioMedicine 2019-05, Vol.43, p.325-332
• Main Authors: Michael J. Ormsby, Michael Logan, Síle A. Johnson, Anne McIntosh, Ghaith Fallata, Rodanthi Papadopoulou, Eleftheria Papachristou, Georgina L. Hold, Richard Hansen, Umer Z. Ijaz, Richard K. Russell, Konstantinos Gerasimidis, Daniel M. Wall
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2352-3964; 2352-3964

Background: The predominance of specific bacteria such as adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) within the Crohn's disease (CD) intestine remains poorly understood with little evidence uncovered to support a selective pressure underlying their presence. Intestinal ethanolamine is however readily accessible during periods of intestinal inflammation, and enables pathogens to outcompete the host microbiota under such circumstances. Methods: Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) to determine expression of genes central to ethanolamine metabolism; transmission electron microscopy to detect presence of bacterial microcompartments (MCPs); in vitro infections of both murine and human macrophage cell lines examining intracellular replication of the AIEC-type strain LF82 and clinical E. coli isolates in the presence of ethanolamine; determination of E. coli ethanolamine utilization (eut) operon transcription in faecal samples from healthy patients, patients with active CD and the same patients in remission following treatment. Results: Growth on the intestinal short chain fatty acid propionic acid (PA) stimulates significantly increased transcription of the eut operon (fold change relative to glucose: >16.9; p-value 4.72; P 15.64; P