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Updated: Apr 18, 2026
Cefoperazone-treated Mouse Model of Clinically-relevant Clostridium difficile Strain R20291
Published on: December 10, 2016
Phosphatidylcholine and the intestinal mucus layer: in vitro efficacy against Clostridium difficile-associated
Alicia Olson1, Lawrence N Diebel1, David M Liberati1
1Department of Surgery, 6C University Health Center, 4201 Saint Antoine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
Background:
Phosphatidylcholine (PC), an important component of intestinal mucus, protects against Clostridium difficile toxin-induced intestinal barrier injury in vitro. Polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) activation may contribute to intestinal injury and systemic toxicity in patients with C. difficile-associated disease. We therefore hypothesized that the intestinal barrier function against C. difficile toxin by exogenous PC would ameliorate PMN activation.
Methods:
Intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) monolayers were cocultured with C. difficile toxin A and/or exogenous PC. Naïve PMNs were cocultured with IEC culture supernatants and PMN activation, and chemotactic potential determined.
Results:
PC treatment of IEC abrogated the enhanced PMN activation and chemotactic potential following toxin A exposure (P < .001).
Conclusions:
Exogenous PC ameliorated PMN activation from IECs exposed to C. difficile toxin. Administration of exogenous PC may be a useful adjunctive treatment in severely ill or immunocompromised patients with C. difficile-associated disease.
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