Dynamic persistence of UPEC intracellular bacterial communities in a human bladder-chip model of urinary tract infection.

ABSTRACT: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) proliferate within superficial bladder umbrella cells to form intracellular bacterial communities (IBCs) during early stages of urinary tract infections. However, the dynamic responses of IBCs to host stresses and antibiotic therapy are difficult to assess in situ. We develop a human bladder-chip model wherein umbrella cells and bladder microvascular endothelial cells are co-cultured under flow in urine and nutritive media respectively, and bladder filling and voiding mimicked mechanically by application and release of linear strain. Using time-lapse microscopy, we show that rapid recruitment of neutrophils from the vascular channel to sites of infection leads to swarm and neutrophil extracellular trap formation but does not prevent IBC formation. Subs

SUBMITTER: Sharma K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8354636 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature