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| 2. |
- Colque-Navarro, Patricia, et al.
(author)
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Levels of antibody against 11 Staphylococcus aureus antigens in a healthy population.
- 2010
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In: Clinical and vaccine immunology : CVI. - 1556-679X. ; 17:7, s. 1117-23
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Serum samples from 151 healthy individuals aged from 15 to 89 years were investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for IgG levels against 11 different purified antigens from Staphylococcus aureus. Surface antigens, such as teichoic acid, clumping factors A and B, and bone sialoprotein binding protein, and extracellular proteins, such as alpha-toxin, lipase, enterotoxin A, toxic shock syndrome toxin, scalded-skin syndrome toxin, fibrinogen binding protein, and extracellular adherence protein, were used. The IgG values were analyzed in relation to the state of nasal carriage at the time of sampling. There was great individual variation in antibody levels in both young and elderly healthy subjects. Occurrence of S. aureus in the nares at the time of sampling was correlated with higher antibody levels, while elderly individuals over 65 years of age showed slightly lower levels than younger adults. More individuals than was expected from random probability calculations showed high antibody levels against several antigens, and more individuals than would be expected showed low levels against several antigens. Certain extracellular proteins had more often induced IgG levels of the same magnitude in the same individuals, indicating that among these individuals, there was a tendency to respond to certain antigens in the same way. Most individuals had circulating IgG antibodies to the 11 tested antigens, and some individuals had the tendency to be "good responders" to several antigens, while others were "poor responders." These findings constitute basic knowledge for the development of improved serological diagnostics, immune prophylaxis, individual prognosis tools, and therapy against invasive Staphylococcus aureus infections.
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| 5. |
- Iversen, Aina, et al.
(author)
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Evidence for transmission between humans and the environment of a nosocomial strain of Enterococcus faecium.
- 2004
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In: Environ Microbiol. - : Wiley. - 1462-2912. ; 6:1, s. 55-9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An ampicillin- and ciprofloxacin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (ARE) strain, named FMSE1, with a characteristic biochemical phenotype, was in a recent study found to dominate among faecal ARE isolates from patients in several Swedish hospitals. In the present study, the prevalence of this strain among 9676 enterococcal isolates from healthy children, hospital sewage, urban sewage, surface water, slaughtered animals (broilers, pigs and cattle) and pig faeces and manure was investigated. Enterococcal isolates having the same biochemical phenotype as the FMSE1 were most common in samples of hospital sewage (50%), surface water (35%), treated sewage (28%) and untreated sewage (17%), but rare in samples from healthy children (0.8%) and animals (2%). PFGE typing of FMSE1-like isolates from hospital sewage indicated that they were closely related to the nosocomial FMSE1 strain. Thus, this study indicated a possible transmission route for nosocomial E. faecium from patients in hospitals to hospital sewage and urban sewage, and further via treatment plants to surface water and possibly back to humans. This proposed route of circulation of drug-resistant enterococci might be further amplified by antibiotic usage in human medicine. In contrast, such transmission from food animals seems to play a negligible role in Sweden.
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- Kwak, Young-Keun, et al.
(author)
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Biological relevance of natural alpha-toxin fragments from Staphylococcus aureus
- 2010
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In: Journal of Membrane Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0022-2631 .- 1432-1424. ; 233:1-3, s. 93-103
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Serine proteases represent an essential part of cellular homeostasis by generating biologically active peptides. In bacteria, proteolysis serves two different roles: a major housekeeping function and the destruction of foreign or target cell proteins, thereby promoting bacterial invasion. In the process, other virulence factors such as exotoxins become affected. In Staphylococcus aureus culture supernatant, the pore-forming alpha-toxin is cleaved by the coexpressed V8 protease and aureolysin. The oligomerizing and pore-forming abilities of five such spontaneously occurring N- and C-terminal alpha-toxin fragments were studied. (3)H-marked alpha-toxin fragments bound to rabbit erythrocyte membranes but only fragments with intact C termini, missing 8, 12 and 71 amino acids from their N-terminal, formed stable oligomers. All isolated fragments induced intoxication of mouse adrenocortical Y1 cells in vitro, though the nature of membrane damage for a fragment, degraded at its C terminus, remained obscure. Only one fragment, missing the first eight N-terminal amino acids, induced irreversible intoxication of Y1 cells in the same manner as the intact toxin. Four of the isolated fragments caused swelling, indicating altered channel formation. Fragments missing 12 and 71 amino acids from the N terminus occupied the same binding sites on Y1 cell membranes, though they inhibited membrane damage caused by intact toxin. In conclusion, N-terminal deletions up to 71 amino acids are tolerated, though the kinetics of channel formation and the channel's properties are altered. In contrast, digestion at the C terminus results in nonfunctional species.
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| 7. |
- Kwak, Young-Keun, et al.
(author)
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The Staphylococcus aureus Alpha-Toxin Perturbs the Barrier Function in Caco-2 Epithelial Cell Monolayers by Altering Junctional Integrity
- 2012
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In: Infection and Immunity. - : American Society for Microbiology. - 0019-9567 .- 1098-5522. ; 80:5, s. 1670-1680
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Increased microvascular permeability is a hallmark of sepsis and septic shock. Intestinal mucosal dysfunction may allow translocation of bacteria and their products, thereby promoting sepsis and inflammation. Although Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin significantly contributes to sepsis and perturbs the endothelial barrier function, little is known about possible effects of S. aureus alpha-toxin on human epithelial barrier functions. We hypothesize that S. aureus alpha-toxin in the blood can impair the intestinal epithelial barrier and thereby facilitate the translocation of luminal bacteria into the blood, which may in turn aggravate a septic condition. Here, we showed that staphylococcal alpha-toxin disrupts the barrier integrity of human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells as evidenced by decreased transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) and reduced cellular levels of junctional proteins, such as ZO-1, ZO-3, and E-cadherin. The Caco-2 cells also responded to alpha-toxin with an elevated cytosolic calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+](i)), elicited primarily by calcium influx from the extracellular environment, as well as with a significant reduction in TER, which was modulated by intracellular calcium chelation. Moreover, a significantly larger reduction in TER and amounts of the junctional proteins, viz., ZO-3 and occludin, was achieved by basolateral than by apical application of the alpha-toxin. These experimental findings thus support the hypothesis that free staphylococcal alpha-toxin in the bloodstream may cause intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction and further aggravate the septic condition by promoting the release of intestinal bacteria into the underlying tissues and the blood.
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- Lund, Bodil
(author)
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Different roles of Enterococcus faecium from a human perspective
- 2003
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Food supplements containing viable bacteria, so called probiotics, have been suggested to have beneficial health effects due to their influence on the normal microflora. However, there has been safety concern regarding probiotics containing Enterococcus faecium. Although part of the normal intestinal microflora in humans, enterococci can cause infections such as urinary tract infections, septicaemia, and endocarditis. Enterococci are also inclined to develop antibiotic resistance and their hardy nature promotes survival and dissemination in the hospital setting. Although the importance of E.faecium as a bloodstream isolate is increasing, little regarding its virulence is known. One virulence trait attributed to E. faecium is the enterococcal surface protein, Esp, encoded by the esp gene. Since enterococci have different roles from the human perspective, such as occurrence in food, as probiotic strains, members of the normal intestinal microflora, and as the cause of nosocomial infections, it is important to study differences and similarities between strains of different origin. The aims of the present investigation were to study some safety aspects of a probiotic product containing Efaecium, the colonization and transmission of enterococci from a nosocomial perspective, and differences between E.faecium isolates of different origin in some characteristics of probable importance for virulence. Faecal samples were collected from healthy volunteers administered an E. faecium probiotic. Half of the volunteers received simultaneous peroral vancomycin. The E. faecium isolates were subtyped and an in vitro conjugation assay was performed. The investigated strain could survive gastrointestinal transit in humans, and intake temporarily increased the number of enterococci in the faecal microflora. The vancomycin administration prevented detection of the probiotic strain. The probiotic strain could gain the vanA gene cluster under in vitro conditions. Samples from the respiratory tract and stomach were collected from 20 consecutive patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. The enterococci isolated were subsequently subtyped. Seventeen of the 20 subjects were colonized with enterococci in the respiratory tract. Genotype analyses suggested that 13 patients were involved in a transmission event, including all patients intubated more than 12 days. The E. faecium isolates were more resistant to antimicrobial agents compared to E. faecalis. The E. faecium isolates from different origins, i.e., infections, faeces, and probiotic products, were investigated for the presence of esp, their ability to conjugate, and adhere to epithelial cells in vitro. The esp gene was significantly more common among blood isolates. E. faecium strains enriched with esp adhered significantly better, were less genetically diverse, and had a higher conjugation frequency compared to esp-negative blood isolates. Antibiotic resistance was only detected among the infection-derived isolates. The adhesion among esp-negative isolates from the normal microflora was higher compared to the esp-negative bacteraemia isolates. In conclusion, the investigated probiotic E. faecium strain can survive gastrointestinal transit in humans, and intake may transiently increase the number of enterococci in the faecal microflora. The same strain can gain the vanA operon. Enterococci are frequently disseminated between mechanically ventilated patients, and isolates from different subpopulations seem to have different characteristics in terms of occurrence of esp, adhesion properties, antibiotic resistance, and conjugation frequencies.
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| 9. |
- Midtvedt, Tore, et al.
(author)
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Increase of faecal tryptic activity relates to changes in the intestinal microbiome : analysis of Crohn's disease with a multidisciplinary platform.
- 2013
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 8:6, s. e66074-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To investigate-by molecular, classical and functional methods-the microbiota in biopsies and faeces from patients with active Crohn's disease (CD) and controls.DESIGN: The microbiota in biopsies was investigated utilizing a novel molecular method and classical cultivation technology. Faecal samples were investigated by classical technology and four functional methods, reflecting alterations in short chain fatty acids pattern, conversion of cholesterol and bilirubin and inactivation of trypsin.RESULTS: By molecular methods we found more than 92% similarity in the microbiota on the biopsies from the two groups. However, 4.6% of microbes found in controls were lacking in CD patients. Furthermore, NotI representation libraries demonstrate two different clusters representing CD patients and controls, respectively. Utilizing conventional technology, Bacteroides (alt. Parabacteroides) was less frequently detected in the biopsies from CD patients than from controls. A similar reduction in the number of Bacteroides was found in faecal samples. Bacteroides is the only group of bacteria known to be able to inactivate pancreatic trypsin. Faecal tryptic activity was high in CD patients, and inversely correlated to the levels of Bacteroides.CONCLUSIONS: CD patients have compositional and functional alterations in their intestinal microbiota, in line with the global description hypothesis rather than the candidate microorganism theory. The most striking functional difference was high amount of faecal tryptic activity in CD patients, inversely correlated to the levels of Bacteroides in faeces.
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