A Novel Probiotic Bacillus subtilis Strain Confers Cytoprotection to Host Pig Intestinal Epithelial Cells during Enterotoxic Escherichia coli Infection

ABSTRACT Enteric infections caused by enterotoxic Escherichia coli (ETEC) negatively impact the growth performance of piglets during weaning, resulting in significant economic losses for the producers. With the ban on antibiotic usage in livestock production, probiotics have gained a lot of attentio...

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Main Authors: Sudhanshu Sudan, Xiaoshu Zhan, Julang Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Society for Microbiology 2022-08-01
Series:Microbiology Spectrum
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.01257-21
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author Sudhanshu Sudan
Xiaoshu Zhan
Julang Li
author_facet Sudhanshu Sudan
Xiaoshu Zhan
Julang Li
author_sort Sudhanshu Sudan
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Enteric infections caused by enterotoxic Escherichia coli (ETEC) negatively impact the growth performance of piglets during weaning, resulting in significant economic losses for the producers. With the ban on antibiotic usage in livestock production, probiotics have gained a lot of attention as a potential alternative. However, strain specificity and limited knowledge on the host-specific targets limit their efficacy in preventing ETEC-related postweaning enteric infections. We recently isolated and characterized a novel probiotic Bacillus subtilis bacterium (CP9) that demonstrated antimicrobial activity. Here, we report anti-ETEC properties of CP9 and its impact on metabolic activity of swine intestinal epithelial (IPEC-J2) cells. Our results showed that pre- or coincubation with CP9 protected IPEC-J2 cells from ETEC-induced cytotoxicity. CP9 significantly attenuated ETEC-induced inflammatory response by reducing ETEC-induced nitric oxide production and relative mRNA expression of the Toll-like receptors (TLRs; TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9), proinflammatory tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukins (ILs; IL-6 and IL-8), augmenting anti-inflammatory granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and host defense peptide mucin 1 (MUC1) mRNA levels. We also show that CP9 significantly (P < 0.05) reduced caspase-3 activity, reinstated cell proliferation and increased relative expression of tight junction genes, claudin-1, occludin, and zona occludens-1 in ETEC-infected cells. Finally, metabolomic analysis revealed that CP9 exposure induced metabolic modulation in IPEC J2 cells with the greatest impact seen in alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; pyrimidine metabolism; nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism; glutathione metabolism; the citrate cycle (TCA cycle); and arginine and proline metabolism. Our study shows that CP9 incubation attenuated ETEC-induced cytotoxicity in IPEC-J2 cells and offers insight into potential application of this probiotic for ETEC infection control. IMPORTANCE ETEC remains one of the leading causes of postweaning diarrhea and mortality in swine production. Due to the rising concerns with the antibiotic use in livestock, alternative interventions need to be developed. In this study, we analyzed the cytoprotective effect of a novel probiotic strain in combating ETEC infection in swine intestinal cells, along with assessing its mechanism of action. To our knowledge, this is also the first study to analyze the metabolic impact of a probiotic on intestinal cells. Results from this study should provide effective cues in developing a probiotic intervention for ameliorating ETEC infection and improving overall gut health in swine production.
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spelling doaj.art-18c03b812a6747acb2f6c59b93673e842022-12-22T03:44:53ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyMicrobiology Spectrum2165-04972022-08-0110410.1128/spectrum.01257-21A Novel Probiotic Bacillus subtilis Strain Confers Cytoprotection to Host Pig Intestinal Epithelial Cells during Enterotoxic Escherichia coli InfectionSudhanshu Sudan0Xiaoshu Zhan1Julang Li2Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, CanadaABSTRACT Enteric infections caused by enterotoxic Escherichia coli (ETEC) negatively impact the growth performance of piglets during weaning, resulting in significant economic losses for the producers. With the ban on antibiotic usage in livestock production, probiotics have gained a lot of attention as a potential alternative. However, strain specificity and limited knowledge on the host-specific targets limit their efficacy in preventing ETEC-related postweaning enteric infections. We recently isolated and characterized a novel probiotic Bacillus subtilis bacterium (CP9) that demonstrated antimicrobial activity. Here, we report anti-ETEC properties of CP9 and its impact on metabolic activity of swine intestinal epithelial (IPEC-J2) cells. Our results showed that pre- or coincubation with CP9 protected IPEC-J2 cells from ETEC-induced cytotoxicity. CP9 significantly attenuated ETEC-induced inflammatory response by reducing ETEC-induced nitric oxide production and relative mRNA expression of the Toll-like receptors (TLRs; TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9), proinflammatory tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukins (ILs; IL-6 and IL-8), augmenting anti-inflammatory granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and host defense peptide mucin 1 (MUC1) mRNA levels. We also show that CP9 significantly (P < 0.05) reduced caspase-3 activity, reinstated cell proliferation and increased relative expression of tight junction genes, claudin-1, occludin, and zona occludens-1 in ETEC-infected cells. Finally, metabolomic analysis revealed that CP9 exposure induced metabolic modulation in IPEC J2 cells with the greatest impact seen in alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; pyrimidine metabolism; nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism; glutathione metabolism; the citrate cycle (TCA cycle); and arginine and proline metabolism. Our study shows that CP9 incubation attenuated ETEC-induced cytotoxicity in IPEC-J2 cells and offers insight into potential application of this probiotic for ETEC infection control. IMPORTANCE ETEC remains one of the leading causes of postweaning diarrhea and mortality in swine production. Due to the rising concerns with the antibiotic use in livestock, alternative interventions need to be developed. In this study, we analyzed the cytoprotective effect of a novel probiotic strain in combating ETEC infection in swine intestinal cells, along with assessing its mechanism of action. To our knowledge, this is also the first study to analyze the metabolic impact of a probiotic on intestinal cells. Results from this study should provide effective cues in developing a probiotic intervention for ameliorating ETEC infection and improving overall gut health in swine production.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.01257-21antimicrobialenterotoxic E. coliextreme environmentBacillus subtilisantimicrobial agentscytoprotection
spellingShingle Sudhanshu Sudan
Xiaoshu Zhan
Julang Li
A Novel Probiotic Bacillus subtilis Strain Confers Cytoprotection to Host Pig Intestinal Epithelial Cells during Enterotoxic Escherichia coli Infection
Microbiology Spectrum
antimicrobial
enterotoxic E. coli
extreme environment
Bacillus subtilis
antimicrobial agents
cytoprotection
title A Novel Probiotic Bacillus subtilis Strain Confers Cytoprotection to Host Pig Intestinal Epithelial Cells during Enterotoxic Escherichia coli Infection
title_full A Novel Probiotic Bacillus subtilis Strain Confers Cytoprotection to Host Pig Intestinal Epithelial Cells during Enterotoxic Escherichia coli Infection
title_fullStr A Novel Probiotic Bacillus subtilis Strain Confers Cytoprotection to Host Pig Intestinal Epithelial Cells during Enterotoxic Escherichia coli Infection
title_full_unstemmed A Novel Probiotic Bacillus subtilis Strain Confers Cytoprotection to Host Pig Intestinal Epithelial Cells during Enterotoxic Escherichia coli Infection
title_short A Novel Probiotic Bacillus subtilis Strain Confers Cytoprotection to Host Pig Intestinal Epithelial Cells during Enterotoxic Escherichia coli Infection
title_sort novel probiotic bacillus subtilis strain confers cytoprotection to host pig intestinal epithelial cells during enterotoxic escherichia coli infection
topic antimicrobial
enterotoxic E. coli
extreme environment
Bacillus subtilis
antimicrobial agents
cytoprotection
url https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.01257-21
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