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Twin-Arginine Translocation System Is Involved in Citrobacter rodentium Fitness in the Intestinal Tract. Infect Immun 2020; 88:IAI.00892-19. [PMID: 31818958 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00892-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The twin-arginine translocation (Tat) system is involved in not only a wide array of cellular processes but also pathogenesis in many bacterial pathogens; thus, this system is expected to become a novel therapeutic target to treat infections. To the best of our knowledge, involvement of the Tat system has not been reported in the gut infection caused by Citrobacter rodentium Here, we studied the role of Tat in C. rodentium gut infection, which resembles human infection with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). A C. rodentium Tat loss-of-function mutant displayed prolonged gut colonization, which was explained by reduced inflammatory responses and, particularly, neutrophil infiltration. Further, the Tat mutant had colonization defects upon coinfection with the wild-type strain of C. rodentium The Tat mutant also became hypersensitive to bile acids, and an increase in fecal bile acids fostered C. rodentium clearance from the gut lumen. Finally, we show that the chain form of C. rodentium cells, induced by a Tat-dependent cell division defect, exhibits impaired resistance to bile acids. Our findings indicate that the Tat system is involved in gut colonization by C. rodentium, which is associated with neutrophil infiltration and resistance to bile acids. Interventions that target the Tat system, as well as luminal bile acids, might thus be promising therapeutic strategies to treat human EHEC and EPEC infections.
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Mullineaux-Sanders C, Collins JW, Ruano-Gallego D, Levy M, Pevsner-Fischer M, Glegola-Madejska IT, Sågfors AM, Wong JLC, Elinav E, Crepin VF, Frankel G. Citrobacter rodentium Relies on Commensals for Colonization of the Colonic Mucosa. Cell Rep 2018; 21:3381-3389. [PMID: 29262319 PMCID: PMC5746604 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.11.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated the role of commensals at the peak of infection with the colonic mouse pathogen Citrobacter rodentium. Bioluminescent and kanamycin (Kan)-resistant C. rodentium persisted avirulently in the cecal lumen of mice continuously treated with Kan. A single Kan treatment was sufficient to displace C. rodentium from the colonic mucosa, a phenomenon not observed following treatment with vancomycin (Van) or metronidazole (Met). Kan, Van, and Met induce distinct dysbiosis, suggesting C. rodentium relies on specific commensals for colonic colonization. Expression of the master virulence regulator ler is induced in germ-free mice, yet C. rodentium is only seen in the cecal lumen. Moreover, in conventional mice, a single Kan treatment was sufficient to displace C. rodentium constitutively expressing Ler from the colonic mucosa. These results show that expression of virulence genes is not sufficient for colonization of the colonic mucosa and that commensals are essential for a physiological infection course. Specific dysbiosis rapidly displaces Citrobacter rodentium from the colonic mucosa Mucosal exclusion is independent of C. rodentium virulence gene expression Extended antibiotic treatment causes accumulation of luminal avirulent C. rodentium C. rodentium relies on commensals for survival at the colonic mucosa
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Mullineaux-Sanders
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - James W Collins
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - David Ruano-Gallego
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Maayan Levy
- Department of Immunology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Izabela T Glegola-Madejska
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Agnes M Sågfors
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Joshua L C Wong
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK; Section of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Eran Elinav
- Department of Immunology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Valerie F Crepin
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Gad Frankel
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK.
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Magana M, Sereti C, Ioannidis A, Mitchell CA, Ball AR, Magiorkinis E, Chatzipanagiotou S, Hamblin MR, Hadjifrangiskou M, Tegos GP. Options and Limitations in Clinical Investigation of Bacterial Biofilms. Clin Microbiol Rev 2018; 31:e00084-16. [PMID: 29618576 PMCID: PMC6056845 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00084-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria can form single- and multispecies biofilms exhibiting diverse features based upon the microbial composition of their community and microenvironment. The study of bacterial biofilm development has received great interest in the past 20 years and is motivated by the elegant complexity characteristic of these multicellular communities and their role in infectious diseases. Biofilms can thrive on virtually any surface and can be beneficial or detrimental based upon the community's interplay and the surface. Advances in the understanding of structural and functional variations and the roles that biofilms play in disease and host-pathogen interactions have been addressed through comprehensive literature searches. In this review article, a synopsis of the methodological landscape of biofilm analysis is provided, including an evaluation of the current trends in methodological research. We deem this worthwhile because a keyword-oriented bibliographical search reveals that less than 5% of the biofilm literature is devoted to methodology. In this report, we (i) summarize current methodologies for biofilm characterization, monitoring, and quantification; (ii) discuss advances in the discovery of effective imaging and sensing tools and modalities; (iii) provide an overview of tailored animal models that assess features of biofilm infections; and (iv) make recommendations defining the most appropriate methodological tools for clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Magana
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Athens Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Sereti
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Athens Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
- Department of Microbiology, Thriassio General Hospital, Attiki, Greece
| | - Anastasios Ioannidis
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Athens Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Human Movement and Quality of Life Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Sparta, Greece
| | - Courtney A Mitchell
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Anthony R Ball
- Gliese 623b, Mendon, Massachusetts, USA
- GAMA Therapeutics LLC, Pepperell, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emmanouil Magiorkinis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens-Goudi, Greece
| | | | - Michael R Hamblin
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Science and Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maria Hadjifrangiskou
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - George P Tegos
- Gliese 623b, Mendon, Massachusetts, USA
- GAMA Therapeutics LLC, Pepperell, Massachusetts, USA
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Avci P, Karimi M, Sadasivam M, Antunes-Melo WC, Carrasco E, Hamblin MR. In-vivo monitoring of infectious diseases in living animals using bioluminescence imaging. Virulence 2017; 9:28-63. [PMID: 28960132 PMCID: PMC6067836 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1371897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional methods of localizing and quantifying the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in living experimental animal models of infections have mostly relied on sacrificing the animals, dissociating the tissue and counting the number of colony forming units. However, the discovery of several varieties of the light producing enzyme, luciferase, and the genetic engineering of bacteria, fungi, parasites and mice to make them emit light, either after administration of the luciferase substrate, or in the case of the bacterial lux operon without any exogenous substrate, has provided a new alternative. Dedicated bioluminescence imaging (BLI) cameras can record the light emitted from living animals in real time allowing non-invasive, longitudinal monitoring of the anatomical location and growth of infectious microorganisms as measured by strength of the BLI signal. BLI technology has been used to follow bacterial infections in traumatic skin wounds and burns, osteomyelitis, infections in intestines, Mycobacterial infections, otitis media, lung infections, biofilm and endodontic infections and meningitis. Fungi that have been engineered to be bioluminescent have been used to study infections caused by yeasts (Candida) and by filamentous fungi. Parasitic infections caused by malaria, Leishmania, trypanosomes and toxoplasma have all been monitored by BLI. Viruses such as vaccinia, herpes simplex, hepatitis B and C and influenza, have been studied using BLI. This rapidly growing technology is expected to continue to provide much useful information, while drastically reducing the numbers of animals needed in experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinar Avci
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,b Department of Dermatology , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Mahdi Karimi
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,c Department of Medical Nanotechnology , School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.,d Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| | - Magesh Sadasivam
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,e Amity Institute of Nanotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh , Noida , India
| | - Wanessa C Antunes-Melo
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,f University of Sao Paulo , Sao Carlos-SP , Brazil
| | - Elisa Carrasco
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,g Department of Biosciences , Durham University , Durham , United Kingdom
| | - Michael R Hamblin
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,b Department of Dermatology , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA.,h Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology , Cambridge , MA , USA
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Bouladoux N, Harrison OJ, Belkaid Y. The Mouse Model of Infection with Citrobacter rodentium. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 119:19.15.1-19.15.25. [PMID: 29091261 DOI: 10.1002/cpim.34] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Citrobacter rodentium is a murine mucosal pathogen used as a model to elucidate the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of infection with two clinically important human gastrointestinal pathogens, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). C. rodentium infection provides an excellent model to study different aspects of host-pathogen interaction in the gut, including intestinal inflammatory responses during bacteria-induced colitis, mucosal healing and epithelial repair, the induction of mucosal immune responses, and the role of the intestinal microbiota in mediating resistance to colonization by enteric pathogens. This unit provides detailed protocols for growing this bacterium, infecting mice by intragastric inoculation, measuring bacterial loads in feces and organs, and monitoring intestinal pathology induced by infection. Additional protocols describe steps needed to create frozen stocks, establish a growth curve, perform ex vivo organ cultures, isolate immune cells from the large intestine, and measure immune response by flow cytometry. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Bouladoux
- Mucosal Immunology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.,NIAID Microbiome Program, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Oliver J Harrison
- Mucosal Immunology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Yasmine Belkaid
- Mucosal Immunology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.,NIAID Microbiome Program, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
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Model of Host-Pathogen Interaction Dynamics Links In Vivo Optical Imaging and Immune Responses. Infect Immun 2016; 85:IAI.00606-16. [PMID: 27821583 PMCID: PMC5203651 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00606-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Tracking disease progression in vivo is essential for the development of treatments against bacterial infection. Optical imaging has become a central tool for in vivo tracking of bacterial population development and therapeutic response. For a precise understanding of in vivo imaging results in terms of disease mechanisms derived from detailed postmortem observations, however, a link between the two is needed. Here, we develop a model that provides that link for the investigation of Citrobacter rodentium infection, a mouse model for enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). We connect in vivo disease progression of C57BL/6 mice infected with bioluminescent bacteria, imaged using optical tomography and X-ray computed tomography, to postmortem measurements of colonic immune cell infiltration. We use the model to explore changes to both the host immune response and the bacteria and to evaluate the response to antibiotic treatment. The developed model serves as a novel tool for the identification and development of new therapeutic interventions.
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Crepin VF, Collins JW, Habibzay M, Frankel G. Citrobacter rodentium mouse model of bacterial infection. Nat Protoc 2016; 11:1851-76. [PMID: 27606775 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2016.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Infection of mice with Citrobacter rodentium is a robust model to study bacterial pathogenesis, mucosal immunology, the health benefits of probiotics and the role of the microbiota during infection. C. rodentium was first isolated by Barthold from an outbreak of mouse diarrhea in Yale University in 1972 and was 'rediscovered' by Falkow and Schauer in 1993. Since then the use of the model has proliferated, and it is now the gold standard for studying virulence of the closely related human pathogens enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EPEC and EHEC, respectively). Here we provide a detailed protocol for various applications of the model, including bacterial growth, site-directed mutagenesis, mouse inoculation (from cultured cells and after cohabitation), monitoring of bacterial colonization, tissue extraction and analysis, immune responses, probiotic treatment and microbiota analysis. The main protocol, from mouse infection to clearance and analysis of tissues and host responses, takes ∼5 weeks to complete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie F Crepin
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - James W Collins
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Maryam Habibzay
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Gad Frankel
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
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Abstract
Stem cell-based drug delivery for cancer therapy has steadily gained momentum in the past decade as several studies have reported stem cells' inherent tropism towards tumors. Since this science is still in its early stages and there are many factors that could significantly impact tumor tropism of stem cells, some contradictory results have been observed. This review starts by examining a number of proof-of-concept studies that demonstrate the potential application of stem cells in cancer therapy. Studies that illustrate stem cells' tumor tropism and discuss the technical difficulties that could impact the therapeutic outcome are also highlighted. The discussion also emphasizes stem cell imaging/tracking, as it plays a crucial role in performing reliable dose-response studies and evaluating the therapeutic outcome of treatment protocols. In each section, the pros and cons associated with each method are highlighted, limitations are underlined, and potential solutions are discussed. The overall intention is to familiarize the reader with important practical issues related to stem cell cancer tropism and in vivo tracking, underline the shortcomings, and emphasize critical factors that need to be considered for effective translation of this science into the clinic.
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Witcomb LA, Collins JW, McCarthy AJ, Frankel G, Taylor PW. Bioluminescent imaging reveals novel patterns of colonization and invasion in systemic Escherichia coli K1 experimental infection in the neonatal rat. Infect Immun 2015; 83:4528-40. [PMID: 26351276 PMCID: PMC4645386 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00953-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2015] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Key features of Escherichia coli K1-mediated neonatal sepsis and meningitis, such as a strong age dependency and development along the gut-mesentery-blood-brain course of infection, can be replicated in the newborn rat. We examined temporal and spatial aspects of E. coli K1 infection following initiation of gastrointestinal colonization in 2-day-old (P2) rats after oral administration of E. coli K1 strain A192PP and a virulent bioluminescent derivative, E. coli A192PP-lux2. A combination of bacterial enumeration in the major organs, two-dimensional bioluminescence imaging, and three-dimensional diffuse light imaging tomography with integrated micro-computed tomography indicated multiple sites of colonization within the alimentary canal; these included the tongue, esophagus, and stomach in addition to the small intestine and colon. After invasion of the blood compartment, the bacteria entered the central nervous system, with restricted colonization of the brain, and also invaded the major organs, in line with increases in the severity of symptoms of infection. Both keratinized and nonkeratinized surfaces of esophagi were colonized to a considerably greater extent in susceptible P2 neonates than in corresponding tissues from infection-resistant 9-day-old rat pups; the bacteria appeared to damage and penetrate the nonkeratinized esophageal epithelium of infection-susceptible P2 animals, suggesting the esophagus represents a portal of entry for E. coli K1 into the systemic circulation. Thus, multimodality imaging of experimental systemic infections in real time indicates complex dynamic patterns of colonization and dissemination that provide new insights into the E. coli K1 infection of the neonatal rat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luci A Witcomb
- University College London School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom
| | - James W Collins
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alex J McCarthy
- University College London School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gadi Frankel
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Peter W Taylor
- University College London School of Pharmacy, London, United Kingdom
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Abstract
Citrobacter rodentium is a mucosal pathogen of mice that shares several pathogenic mechanisms with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), which are two clinically important human gastrointestinal pathogens. Thus, C. rodentium has long been used as a model to understand the molecular basis of EPEC and EHEC infection in vivo. In this Review, we discuss recent studies in which C. rodentium has been used to study mucosal immunology, including the deregulation of intestinal inflammatory responses during bacteria-induced colitis and the role of the intestinal microbiota in mediating resistance to colonization by enteric pathogens. These insights should help to elucidate the roles of mucosal inflammatory responses and the microbiota in the virulence of enteric pathogens.
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Collins JW, Chervaux C, Raymond B, Derrien M, Brazeilles R, Kosta A, Chambaud I, Crepin VF, Frankel G. Fermented dairy products modulate Citrobacter rodentium-induced colonic hyperplasia. J Infect Dis 2014; 210:1029-41. [PMID: 24706936 PMCID: PMC4157696 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiu205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the protective effects of fermented dairy products (FDPs) in an infection model, using the mouse pathogen Citrobacter rodentium (CR). Treatment of mice with FDP formulas A, B, and C or a control product did not affect CR colonization, organ specificity, or attaching and effacing lesion formation. Fermented dairy product A (FDP-A), but neither the supernatant from FDP-A nor β-irradiated (IR) FDP-A, caused a significant reduction in colonic crypt hyperplasia and CR-associated pathology. Profiling the gut microbiota revealed that IR-FDP-A promoted higher levels of phylotypes belonging to Alcaligenaceae and a decrease in Lachnospiraceae (Ruminococcus) during CR infection. Conversely, FDP-A prevented a decrease in Ruminococcus and increased Turicibacteraceae (Turicibacter). Importantly, loss of Ruminococcus and Turicibacter has been associated with susceptibility to dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis. Our results demonstrate that viable bacteria in FDP-A reduced CR-induced colonic crypt hyperplasia and prevented the loss of key bacterial genera that may contribute to disease pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W Collins
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Benoit Raymond
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Muriel Derrien
- Danone Nutricia Research, Centre Daniel Carasso, Palaiseau
| | | | - Artemis Kosta
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Valerie F Crepin
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Gad Frankel
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
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Chen CH, Durand E, Wang J, Zon LI, Poss KD. zebraflash transgenic lines for in vivo bioluminescence imaging of stem cells and regeneration in adult zebrafish. Development 2013; 140:4988-97. [PMID: 24198277 DOI: 10.1242/dev.102053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The zebrafish has become a standard model system for stem cell and tissue regeneration research, based on powerful genetics, high tissue regenerative capacity and low maintenance costs. Yet, these studies can be challenged by current limitations of tissue visualization techniques in adult animals. Here we describe new imaging methodology and present several ubiquitous and tissue-specific luciferase-based transgenic lines, which we have termed zebraflash, that facilitate the assessment of regeneration and engraftment in freely moving adult zebrafish. We show that luciferase-based live imaging reliably estimates muscle quantity in an internal organ, the heart, and can longitudinally follow cardiac regeneration in individual animals after major injury. Furthermore, luciferase-based detection enables visualization and quantification of engraftment in live recipients of transplanted hematopoietic stem cell progeny, with advantages in sensitivity and gross spatial resolution over fluorescence detection. Our findings present a versatile resource for monitoring and dissecting vertebrate stem cell and regeneration biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Hui Chen
- Department of Cell Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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