Interactions between Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Microbes

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology and Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2019) | Viewed by 25952

Special Issue Editor

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Interests: immunology; inflammation; cancer biology; cytokines; epithelial cell; colitis; complement; anaphylatoxin

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Three decades ago, epithelial cells were appreciated to actively contribute to host defense through the secretion of inflammatory mediators, in fact, before the discovery of ubiquitous toll-like receptors (TLR) in mammalian cells. The discovery and expanding repertoire of TLRs then occupied the limelight in terms of the epithelial cell response to microbes through the 1990s. However, intestinal epithelial cell detection and response to microbial antigens is not limited to TLRs, as there are several other mechanism of detection, such as the FPRs, lectins, and anaphylatoxin receptors. In addition to receptors, there is compelling evidence that epithelial cells are affected by microbial metabolites. Thus, where are we now? Have we solved epithelial responsiveness to microbes? Has the advent of organoid cultures changed our understanding of these interactions? Is microbial pathogenicity defined at the level of the epithelial response? The objective of this Special Issue is to identify the frontier of this branch of innate immunity. I invite you to submit your manuscripts for this Special Issue: “Interactions between Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Microbes”. This edition will consider your preferred angle of engagement—whether on colonizing or shedding metabolites onto the epithelium, the detection of microbes and microbial products, or the consequence of these interactions on intestinal epithelial cell biology, possibly leading to inflammation or apoptosis. As Guest Editor of this Special Issue, I look forward to reviewing your submissions and, together, defining the present state of the science.

Prof. Dr. Andrew W Stadnyk
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1258 KiB  
Article
Effects of Acute and Chronic Exposure to Residual Level Erythromycin on Human Intestinal Epithelium Cell Permeability and Cytotoxicity
by Haihong Hao, Kuppan Gokulan, Silvia A. Piñeiro, Katherine M. Williams, Zonghui Yuan, Carl E. Cerniglia and Sangeeta Khare
Microorganisms 2019, 7(9), 325; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7090325 - 06 Sep 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2640
Abstract
Residual concentrations of erythromycin in food could result in gastrointestinal tract exposure that potentially poses a health-hazard to the consumer, affecting intestinal epithelial permeability, barrier function, microbiota composition, and antimicrobial resistance. We investigated the effects of erythromycin after acute (48 h single treatment [...] Read more.
Residual concentrations of erythromycin in food could result in gastrointestinal tract exposure that potentially poses a health-hazard to the consumer, affecting intestinal epithelial permeability, barrier function, microbiota composition, and antimicrobial resistance. We investigated the effects of erythromycin after acute (48 h single treatment with 0.03 μg/mL to 300 μg/mL) or chronic (repeated treatment with 0.3 µg/mL and 300 µg/mL erythromycin for five days) exposures on the permeability of human colonic epithelial cells, a model that mimics a susceptible intestinal surface devoid of commensal microbiota. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) measurements indicated that erythromycin above 0.3 µg/mL may compromise the epithelial barrier. Acute exposure increased cytotoxicity, while chronic exposure decreased the cytotoxicity. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed that only ICAM1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1) was up-regulated during 0.3 μg/mL acute-exposure, while ICAM1, JAM3 (junctional adhesion molecule 3), and ITGA8 (integrin alpha 8), were over-expressed in the 300 μg/mL acute treatment group. However, during chronic exposure, no change in the mRNA expression was observed at 0.3 μg/mL, and only ICAM2 was significantly up-regulated after 300 μg/mL. ICAM1 and ICAM2 are known to be involved in the formation of extracellular matrices. These gene expression changes may be related to the immunoregulatory activity of erythromycin, or a compensatory mechanism of the epithelial cells to overcome the distress caused by erythromycin due to increased permeability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interactions between Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Microbes)
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Review

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12 pages, 467 KiB  
Review
Establishing Boundaries: The Relationship That Exists between Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Gut-Dwelling Bacteria
by Amy A. O’Callaghan and Sinéad C. Corr
Microorganisms 2019, 7(12), 663; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7120663 - 09 Dec 2019
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 5507
Abstract
The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a highly complex organ in which various dynamic physiological processes are tightly coordinated while interacting with a complex community of microorganisms. Within the GI tract, intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) create a structural interface that separates the intestinal [...] Read more.
The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a highly complex organ in which various dynamic physiological processes are tightly coordinated while interacting with a complex community of microorganisms. Within the GI tract, intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) create a structural interface that separates the intestinal lumen from the underlying lamina propria. In the lumen, gut-dwelling microbes play an essential role in maintaining gut homeostasis and functionality. Whether commensal or pathogenic, their interaction with IECs is inevitable. IECs and myeloid immune cells express an array of pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) that define the interaction of both pathogenic and beneficial bacteria with the intestinal mucosa and mount appropriate responses including induction of barrier-related factors which enhance the integrity of the epithelial barrier. Indeed, the integrity of this barrier and induction of appropriate immune responses is critical to health status, with defects in this barrier and over-activation of immune cells by invading microbes contributing to development of a range of inflammatory and infectious diseases. This review describes the complexity of the GI tract and its interactions with gut bacteria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interactions between Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Microbes)
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10 pages, 389 KiB  
Review
Opinion: Are Organoids the End of Model Evolution for Studying Host Intestinal Epithelium/Microbe Interactions?
by Michelle M. George, Mushfiqur Rahman, Jessica Connors and Andrew W. Stadnyk
Microorganisms 2019, 7(10), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7100406 - 29 Sep 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3924
Abstract
In the pursuit to understand intestinal epithelial cell biology in health and disease, researchers have established various model systems, from whole animals (typically rodents) with experimentally induced disease to transformed human carcinomas. The obvious limitation to the ex vivo or in vitro cell [...] Read more.
In the pursuit to understand intestinal epithelial cell biology in health and disease, researchers have established various model systems, from whole animals (typically rodents) with experimentally induced disease to transformed human carcinomas. The obvious limitation to the ex vivo or in vitro cell systems was enriching, maintaining, and expanding differentiated intestinal epithelial cell types. The popular concession was human and rodent transformed cells of mainly undifferentiated cells, with a few select lines differentiating along the path to becoming goblet cells. Paneth cells, in particular, remained unculturable. The breakthrough came in the last decade with the report of conditions to grow mouse intestinal organoids. Organoids are 3-dimensional ex vivo “mini-organs” of the organ from which the stem cells were derived. Intestinal organoids contain fully differentiated epithelial cells in the same spatial organization as in the native epithelium. The cells are suitably polarized and produce and secrete mucus onto the apical surface. This review introduces intestinal organoids and provide some thoughts on strengths and weaknesses in the application of organoids to further advance our understanding of the intestinal epithelial–microbe relationship. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interactions between Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Microbes)
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26 pages, 2906 KiB  
Review
The Intestine of Drosophila melanogaster: An Emerging Versatile Model System to Study Intestinal Epithelial Homeostasis and Host-Microbial Interactions in Humans
by Florence Capo, Alexa Wilson and Francesca Di Cara
Microorganisms 2019, 7(9), 336; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7090336 - 09 Sep 2019
Cited by 54 | Viewed by 13443
Abstract
In all metazoans, the intestinal tract is an essential organ to integrate nutritional signaling, hormonal cues and immunometabolic networks. The dysregulation of intestinal epithelium functions can impact organism physiology and, in humans, leads to devastating and complex diseases, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, [...] Read more.
In all metazoans, the intestinal tract is an essential organ to integrate nutritional signaling, hormonal cues and immunometabolic networks. The dysregulation of intestinal epithelium functions can impact organism physiology and, in humans, leads to devastating and complex diseases, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, intestinal cancers, and obesity. Two decades ago, the discovery of an immune response in the intestine of the genetic model system, Drosophila melanogaster, sparked interest in using this model organism to dissect the mechanisms that govern gut (patho) physiology in humans. In 2007, the finding of the intestinal stem cell lineage, followed by the development of tools available for its manipulation in vivo, helped to elucidate the structural organization and functions of the fly intestine and its similarity with mammalian gastrointestinal systems. To date, studies of the Drosophila gut have already helped to shed light on a broad range of biological questions regarding stem cells and their niches, interorgan communication, immunity and immunometabolism, making the Drosophila a promising model organism for human enteric studies. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the structure and functions of the Drosophila melanogaster intestine, asserting its validity as an emerging model system to study gut physiology, regeneration, immune defenses and host-microbiota interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interactions between Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Microbes)
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