TH1 cell-inducing Escherichia coli strain identified from the small intestinal mucosa of patients with Crohn's disease

Dysbiotic microbiota contributes to the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) by regulating the immune system. Although pro-inflammatory microbes are probably enriched in the small intestinal (SI) mucosa, most studies have focused on fecal microbiota. This study aimed to examine jejunal and ileal mucosal specimens from patients with CD via double-balloon enteroscopy. Comparative microbiome analysis revealed that the microbiota composition of CD SI mucosa differs from that of non-CD controls, with an increased population of several families, including Enterobacteriaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Bacteroidaceae. Upon anaerobic culturing of the CD SI mucosa, 80 bacterial strains were isolated, from which 9 strains representing 9 distinct species (Escherichia coli, Ruminococcus gnavus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Erysipelatoclostridium ramosum, Bacteroides dorei, B. fragilis, B. uniformis, Parabacteroides distasonis, and Streptococcus pasteurianus) were selected on the basis of their significant association with CD. The colonization of germ-free (GF) mice with the 9 strains enhanced the accumulation of T_H1 cells and, to a lesser extent, T_H17 cells in the intestine, among which an E. coli strain displayed high potential to induce T_H1 cells and intestinal inflammation in a strain-specific manner. The present results indicate that the CD SI mucosa harbors unique pro-inflammatory microbiota, including T_H1 cell-inducing E. coli, which could be a potential therapeutic target.