Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 28, 2025
Cefoperazone-treated Mouse Model of Clinically-relevant Clostridium difficile Strain R20291
Published on: December 10, 2016
Human neutrophils are resistant to Clostridioides difficile toxin B
Catalina Chaves-Cordero1, Carlos Quesada-Gómez2, Esteban Chaves-Olarte2
1Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica.
Objective:
The main objective of this study was to evaluate the glucosyltransferase activity of C. difficile TcdB on the activity of human PMNs.
Methods:
To better understand the interaction between PMNs and TcdB, PMNs were treated with sub-lethal concentrations of TcdB. We evaluated: (i) the glucosylation of GTPases, (ii) the phagocytic and bactericidal activity, and (iii) PMNs activation (through quantification of TNF-α, IL-8, and expression of CD11b cell surface activation marker).
Results:
We found that TcdB did not glucosylate RhoA and Rac1 GTPases and did not affect the phagocytic or bactericidal capacity of PMNs. Moreover, TcdB did not increase the production of TNF-α, IL-8, or the expression of activation marker CD11b. The only significant effect of TcdB on PMNs was the partial inhibition of TNF-α and IL-8 production and the diminished expression of CD11b induced by E. coli-LPS.
Conclusion:
Our results show that human PMNs are resistant to TcdB GTPase glucosyltransferase activity against RhoA and Rac1.
More Related Videos
09:12A Protein Microarray Assay for Serological Determination of Antigen-specific Antibody Responses Following Clostridium difficile Infection
Published on: June 15, 2018
12:58A Protocol to Characterize the Morphological Changes of Clostridium difficile in Response to Antibiotic Treatment
Published on: May 25, 2017
Related Concept Videos
01:31Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
01:30Development of Antibiotic Resistance
01:16Transduction
01:18Other Unique Bacteria
01:26Defense Mechanism Against Infection
In addition, many body organ systems have unique defenses against infection. The skin is an intact, multilayered surface preventing invasion by microorganisms unless impaired. Mucous membranes lining the mouth, nose, and eyelids are barriers...