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Previous studies in piglets indicate that heat labile enterotoxin (LT) expression enhances intestinal colonization by K88 adhesin-producing enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) as wild-type ETEC adhered to intestinal epithelium in substantially greater numbers than did non-toxigenic constructs. Enzymatic activity of the toxin was also shown to contribute to the adhesion of ETEC and non-ETEC bacteria to epithelial cells in culture. To further characterize the contribution of LT to host cell adhesion, a nontoxigenic, K88-producing E. coli was transformed with either the gene encoding for LT holotoxin, a catalytically-attenuated form of the toxin [LT(R192G)], or LTB subunits, and resultant changes in bacterial adherence to IPEC-J2 porcine intestinal epithelial cells were measured. Strains expressing LT holotoxin or mutants were able to adhere in significantly higher numbers to IPEC-J2 cells than was an isogenic, toxin-negative construct. LT+ strains were also able to significantly block binding of a wild-type LT+ ETEC strain to IPEC-J2 cells. Adherence of isogenic strains to IPEC-J2 cells was unaltered by cycloheximide treatment, suggesting that LT enhances ETEC adherence to IPEC-J2 cells independent of host cell protein synthesis. However, pretreating IPEC-J2 cells with LT promoted adherence of negatively charged latex beads (a surrogate for bacteria which carry a negative change), which adherence was inhibited by cycloheximide, suggesting LT may induce a change in epithelial cell membrane potential. Overall, these data suggest that LT may enhance ETEC adherence by promoting an association between LTB and epithelial cells, and by altering the surface charge of the host plasma membrane to promote non-specific adherence., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is an important diarrheal agent of young domestic animals. Currently, there are no commercially available non-living vaccines to protect weaned pigs from the disease and no major veterinary biologics company markets a postweaning ETEC vaccine of any kind. While efforts have been made to develop a non-living postweaning ETEC vaccine for pigs, studies have been limited to the assessment of immune responses to experimental immunogens. In the present study, we describe a reproducible gnotobiotic piglet model of post-weaning ETEC diarrhea and efficacy tests in that model of subunit vaccines consisting of K88 (F4) fimbriae and/or heat labile enterotoxin (LT) delivered by the intranasal route. We also report antibody responses to the vaccine antigens. Piglets vaccinated with both antigens mounted a substantial immune response with serum and cecal antibody titers to K88 antigen significantly greater than those of controls. Serum anti-LT antibody titers were also significantly greater than those of controls. Piglets vaccinated with both antigens remained healthy following challenge with ETEC. At least some pigs vaccinated with either antigen alone, and most of the control piglets developed dehydrating diarrhea and suffered significant weight loss. The results of this study suggest that an intranasal vaccine consisting of both antigens is highly protective against a vigorous experimental challenge of pigs with K88+ ETEC, while that against either antigen alone is not. The current study provides a system whereby various ETEC antigens and/or combinations of antigens can be tested in exploring strategies for the development of vaccines for ETEC., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) produced by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) increases bacterial adherence to porcine enterocytes in vitro and enhances small intestinal colonization in swine. Heat-stable enterotoxin-b (STb) is not known to affect colonization; however, through an induction of net fluid accumulation it might reduce bacterial adherence. The relationship between fluid accumulation and bacterial adherence in jejunal loops inoculated with ETEC strains that produce LT, STb, both, or neither toxin was studied. Ligated jejunal loops were constructed in weaned Yorkshire pigs in two independent experiments (Exp. 1, n=5, 8-week-old; Exp. 2, n=6, 6-8-week-old). Each pig was inoculated with six F4ac(+)E. coli strains: (1) LT(+), STb(+) parent (WAM2317); (2) STb(-) (ΔestB) mutant (MUN297); (3) MUN297 complemented with STb (MUN298); (4) LT(-) STb(-) (ΔeltAB ΔestB) mutant (MUN300); (5) MUN300 complemented with LT (MUN301); and (6) 1836-2 (non-enterotoxigenic, wild-type). Pigs were confirmed to be K88 (F4)ab/ac receptor-positive in Exp. 2 by testing for intestinal mucin-type glycoproteins and inferred to be receptor-positive in both Exp. 1 and 2 based on histopathologic evidence of bacterial adherence. Strains that produced STb induced marked fluid accumulation with the response (ml/cm) to WAM2317 and MUN298 significantly greater than that to the other strains (P<0.0001). Conversely, bacterial adherence scores based on immunohistochemistry and CFU/g of washed mucosa were both lowest in the strains that expressed STb and highest in those that did not. For the two experiments combined, the Pearson correlation coefficient (R) between fluid volume (ml/cm) and log CFU per gram was -0.57021 (P<0.0001); R(2)=0.3521 (n=197). These results support the hypothesis that enterotoxin-induced fluid accumulation flushes progeny organisms into the lumen of the bowel, thereby increasing the likelihood of fecal shedding and transmission of the pathogen to new hosts., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: Virulence of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is associated with fimbrial adhesins and enterotoxins such as heat-labile (LT) and/or heat-stable (ST) enterotoxins. Previous studies using a cell culture model suggest that exclusion of ETEC from attachment to epithelial cells requires expression of both an adhesin such as K88 (F4) fimbriae, and LT. To test the ability of non-pathogenic E. coli constructs to exclude virulent ETEC sufficiently to prevent clinical disease, we utilized a piglet ETEC challenge model. Thirty-nine 5-day-old piglets were inoculated with a placebo (control), or with either of the three K88+ E. coli strains isogenic with regard to modified LT expression: 8017 (pBR322 plasmid vector control), non-toxigenic mutant 8221 (LTR192G) in pBR322, or 8488, with the LT gene fused to the STb gene in pBR322 (LTR192G-STb). Piglets were challenged with virulent ETEC Strain 3030-2 (K88+/LT/STb) 24h post-inoculation. K88ac receptor-positive piglets in the control group developed diarrhea and became dehydrated 12–24h post-challenge. Piglets inoculated with 8221 or 8488 did not exhibit clinical signs of ETEC disease; most piglets inoculated with 8017 showed diarrhea. Control pigs exhibited significant weight loss, increased blood total protein, and higher numbers of colony-forming units of 3030-2 E. coli in washed ileum and jejunum than treated pigs. This study shows for the first time that pre-inoculation with an avirulent strain expressing adhesive fimbriae and a non-toxic form of LT provides significant short term protection from challenge with a virulent ETEC strain that expresses the same fimbrial adhesion and enterotoxin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]