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The Crohn's disease-related bacterial strain LF82 assembles biofilm-like communities to protect itself from

Victoria Prudent1, Gaëlle Demarre1, Emilie Vazeille2

  • 1CIRB - Collège de France, CNRS-UMR7241, INSERM U1050, PSL Research University, Paris, France.

Communications Biology
|May 26, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Adherent invasive E. coli (AIEC) in Crohn's disease form intracellular bacterial communities (IBCs) within macrophages. These AIEC utilize an extrabacterial biofilm matrix and yersiniabactin iron system for survival and replication.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Crohn's disease patients show abnormal intestinal colonization by adherent invasive E. coli (AIEC).
  • AIEC adhere to and invade epithelial cells, surviving within macrophages.
  • AIEC LF82 exhibits antibiotic tolerance and intracellular proliferation within vacuoles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the growth mechanism of AIEC within macrophages.
  • To identify factors contributing to intracellular bacterial community (IBC) formation.

Main Methods:

  • Intracellular survival assays of AIEC LF82 within macrophages.
  • Analysis of bacterial matrix production and biofilm formation.
  • Investigation of the role of the yersiniabactin iron system.

Main Results:

  • Intracellular AIEC LF82 produces an extrabacterial matrix, forming a biofilm that sustains IBCs.
  • The pathogenicity island encoding the yersiniabactin iron capture system is crucial for IBC formation.
  • Optimal AIEC LF82 survival is dependent on the yersiniabactin system.

Conclusions:

  • AIEC employ unique strategies to establish replicative niches within host macrophages.
  • Biofilm formation and iron acquisition are key to AIEC persistence in Crohn's disease.

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