Bacteriophage K1F targets Escherichia coli K1 in cerebral endothelial cells and influences the barrier function.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial neonatal meningitis results in high mortality and morbidity rates for those affected. Although improvements in diagnosis and treatment have led to a decline in mortality rates, morbidity rates have remained relatively unchanged. Bacterial resistance to antibiotics in this clinical setting further underlines the need for developing other technologies, such as phage therapy. We exploited an in vitro phage therapy model for studying bacterial neonatal meningitis based on Escherichia coli (E. coli) EV36, bacteriophage (phage) K1F and human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (hCMECs). We show that phage K1F is phagocytosed and degraded by constitutive- and PAMP-dependent LC3-assisted phagocytosis and does not induce expression of inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-6, IL-8 or IFNβ.

SUBMITTER: Moller-Olsen C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7264188 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature