Virulence of a T6SS Campylobacter jejuni chicken isolate from North Romania

Ungureanu, Vlad A.; Stratakos, Alexandros Ch.; Gundogdu, Ozan; Stef, Lavinia; Pet, Ioan; Pet, Elena; Pacala, Nicolae; Corcionivoschi, Nicolae

Abstract

Objectives: In this study we have investigated the in vitro and in vivo virulence characteristics of a new T6SS positive Campylobacter jejuni chicken isolate (SV12) originating from a poultry population in North Romania. A detailed phenotypic characterization was performed and compared to the T6SS negative C. jejuni 81-176 wild strain. Results: Our results indicate that the significantly higher capacity to attach and invade HCT-8 cells of C. jejuni SV12 isolate is associated with increased motility, increased resistance to bile salts and serum resistance, when compared to C. jejuni strain 81-76. Mice infected with the SV12 isolate showed statistically higher levels of colonization at both 7- and 14-days post-inoculation and in the stomach, caecum, duodenum and large intestine. Infection with the SV12 strain induced a stronger immune response as the gene transcript levels of IL-17, TNFα and IFNγ were more pronouncedly up-regulated compared to the C. jejuni strain 81-176. The present study showed that the new isolate SV12 had an enhanced virulence capacity compared to the wild strain which was evident in vivo as well. This work also provides an insight on the colonization pattern and host immune response differences between T6SS positive and T6SS negative C. jejuni.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 16, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Mar 28, 2019
• Publication Date: Mar 28, 2019
• Deposit Date: Jun 25, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 29, 2021
• Journal: BMC Research Notes
• Electronic ISSN: 1756-0500
• Publisher: BioMed Central
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 180
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-019-4201-8
• Keywords: General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology; General Medicine
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/7450784
• Additional Information: Received: 26 November 2018; Accepted: 16 March 2019; First Online: 28 March 2019