The StcE metalloprotease of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli reduces the inner mucus layer and promotes adherence to human colonic epithelium ex vivo.

ABSTRACT: Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a major foodborne pathogen and tightly adheres to human colonic epithelium by forming attaching/effacing lesions. To reach the epithelial surface, EHEC must penetrate the thick mucus layer protecting the colonic epithelium. In this study, we investigated how EHEC interacts with the intestinal mucus layer using mucin-producing LS174T colon carcinoma cells and human colonic mucosal biopsies. The level of EHEC binding and attaching/effacing lesion formation in LS174T cells was higher compared to mucin-deficient colon carcinoma cell lines, and initial adherence was independent of the presence of flagellin, Escherichia coli common pilus, or long polar fimbriae. Although EHEC infection did not affect gene expression of secreted mucins, it resulted in

SUBMITTER: Hews CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5434857 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature