Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Cefoperazone-treated Mouse Model of Clinically-relevant Clostridium difficile Strain R20291
06:51

Cefoperazone-treated Mouse Model of Clinically-relevant Clostridium difficile Strain R20291

Published on: December 10, 2016

12.5K

Porcine Monocyte DNA Traps Formed during Infection with Pathogenic Clostridioides difficile Strains

Jade Lawrence1, Paul Barrow2, Neil Foster3

  • 1School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham LE12 5RD, UK.

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 27, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Porcine monocytes trap Clostridioides difficile bacteria using extracellular DNA traps, a process called etosis. This unique immune response differs from typical bacterial infections, offering insights into C. difficile pathogenesis.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Microbiology
  • Veterinary Medicine

Background:

  • Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a significant enteric pathogen causing infections in humans and animals.
  • Neonatal pigs serve as a valuable model for studying human C. difficile infections.
  • Previous research on C. difficile immunity primarily focused on neutrophils and cytokines.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the immune response of porcine monocytes to C. difficile infection.
  • To compare the response of porcine monocytes to C. difficile with their response to other bacterial infections.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms by which porcine monocytes interact with C. difficile.

Main Methods:

  • Infection of porcine monocytes with C. difficile strains CD630 and R20291.
  • Assessment of oxidative burst and nitrite ion production.
  • Analysis of intracellular bacterial survival dynamics.
  • Microscopic examination of monocyte-bacteria interaction and DNA trap formation.

Main Results:

  • Porcine monocytes showed a lack of oxidative burst and nitrite production upon C. difficile infection.
  • Intracellular survival of C. difficile strains CD630 and R20291 within monocytes was similar.
  • Porcine monocytes effectively entrapped C. difficile using extracellular DNA traps, a process resembling etosis.
  • DNA depletion was observed in monocyte nuclei, with extracellular DNA associated with the cell membrane.

Conclusions:

  • Porcine monocytes exhibit a distinct immune response to C. difficile, characterized by etosis rather than oxidative burst or nitrite production.
  • Extracellular DNA traps play a crucial role in the entrapment of C. difficile by porcine monocytes.
  • This study highlights the neonatal pig model for understanding C. difficile pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions.
Keywords:
Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficileDNA trapsetosismonocytepigs

More Related Videos

A Protein Microarray Assay for Serological Determination of Antigen-specific Antibody Responses Following Clostridium difficile Infection09:12

A Protein Microarray Assay for Serological Determination of Antigen-specific Antibody Responses Following Clostridium difficile Infection

Published on: June 15, 2018

10.1K
Identification of Virulence Markers of Mycobacterium abscessus for Intracellular Replication in Phagocytes08:34

Identification of Virulence Markers of Mycobacterium abscessus for Intracellular Replication in Phagocytes

Published on: September 27, 2018

8.6K

Related Concept Videos

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes00:46

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes

The genome of most prokaryotic organisms consists of double-stranded DNA organized into one circular chromosome in a region of cytoplasm called the nucleoid. The chromosome is tightly wound, or supercoiled, for efficient storage. Prokaryotes also contain other circular pieces of DNA called plasmids. These plasmids are smaller than the chromosome and often carry genes that confer adaptive functions, such as antibiotic resistance.
Genomic Diversity in Bacteria
Although bacterial genomes are much...
Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria01:30

Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria

Coryneform bacteria are gram-positive, aerobic, nonmotile rods that exhibit irregular, club-shaped, or V-shaped arrangements. Their V-shape results from snapping division, where the inner cell wall layer forms the cross-wall, while the outer layer remains intact until it ruptures on one side, causing the daughter cells to bend away.The primary genera are Corynebacterium and Arthrobacter. Corynebacterium includes diverse species, ranging from saprophytes to pathogens like Corynebacterium...
Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes01:24

Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes

The phylum Tenericutes, which includes the single class Mollicutes, comprises bacteria that lack cell walls. The term "Mollicutes" derives from the Latin word mollis, meaning "soft." These organisms are among the smallest known and are commonly referred to as mycoplasmas due to the prominence of the genus Mycoplasma, which includes well-known human pathogens. Despite their inability to stain gram-positively (a result of their lack of cell walls), mycoplasmas are phylogenetically related to the...
Dysbiosis of the Gut Microbiota01:18

Dysbiosis of the Gut Microbiota

The human gut microbiome includes a diverse array of microbial species, including beneficial commensals and opportunistic pathogens, which interact to support host health. These microbes contribute to essential functions such as nutrient metabolism, immune system modulation, and maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity. However, disruptions to this equilibrium—referred to as dysbiosis—can have widespread physiological consequences.Dysbiosis is often characterized by reduced microbial...
Diphtheria01:28

Diphtheria

Diphtheria is an acute, toxin-mediated infectious disease that primarily affects the upper respiratory tract. It is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a Gram-positive, pleomorphic rod that lacks spore-forming capability and exhibits a characteristic club-shaped morphology under microscopic examination. While C. diphtheriae can asymptomatically colonize mucosal surfaces, clinical disease manifests only when the bacterial strain is lysogenized by a specific β-corynephage. This phage...
Bacterial Gastroenteritis01:18

Bacterial Gastroenteritis

Bacterial gastroenteritis, characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting, is often caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water and is frequently associated with pathogenic Escherichia coli strains. These microbes exploit two principal mechanisms to inflict disease.Shiga toxin–producing E. coli, also referred to as STEC—notably O157:H7—release Shiga toxins that target ribosomes, blocking protein synthesis. The B subunit of the toxin binds the host glycolipid receptor...