Flagellin hypervariable region determines symbiotic properties of commensal Escherichia coli strains

Steimle A, Menz S, Bender A, Ball B, Weber ANR, Hagemann T, Lange A, Maerz JK, Peruse R, Michaelis L, Schaefer A, Yao H, Loew HC, Beier S, Mebrhatu MT, Gronbach K, Wagner S, Vöhringer D, Schaller M, Fehrenbacher B, Autenrieth IB, Oelschlaeger TA, Frick JS (2019)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Journal

Plos Biology Public Library of Science

Book Volume: 17

Journal Issue: 6

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000334

Abstract

Escherichia coli represents a classical intestinal gram-negative commensal. Despite this commensalism, different E. coli strains can mediate disparate immunogenic properties in a given host. Symbiotic E. coli strains such as E. coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) are attributed beneficial properties, e.g., promotion of intestinal homeostasis. Therefore, we aimed to identify molecular features derived from symbiotic bacteria that might help to develop innovative therapeutic alternatives for the treatment of intestinal immune disorders. This study was performed using the dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model, which is routinely used to evaluate potential therapeutics for the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs). We focused on the analysis of flagellin structures of different E. coli strains. EcN flagellin was found to harbor a substantially longer hypervariable region (HVR) compared to other commensal E. coli strains, and this longer HVR mediated symbiotic properties through stronger activation of Toll-like receptor (TLR)5, thereby resulting in interleukin (IL)-22-mediated protection of mice against DSS-induced colitis. Furthermore, using bone-marrow-chimeric mice (BMCM), CD11c+ cells of the colonic lamina propria (LP) were identified as the main mediators of these flagellin-induced symbiotic effects. We propose flagellin from symbiotic E. coli strains as a potential therapeutic to restore intestinal immune homeostasis, e.g., for the treatment of IBD patients.

Authors with CRIS profile

David Vöhringer Professur für Infektionsabwehr und Toleranz

Involved external institutions

Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen DE Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Tübingen DE Germany (DE) Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Steimle, A., Menz, S., Bender, A., Ball, B., Weber, A.N.R., Hagemann, T.,... Frick, J.-S. (2019). Flagellin hypervariable region determines symbiotic properties of commensal Escherichia coli strains. Plos Biology, 17(6). https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000334

MLA:

Steimle, Alex, et al. "Flagellin hypervariable region determines symbiotic properties of commensal Escherichia coli strains." Plos Biology 17.6 (2019).

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