Pathogenicity of Escherichia coli strains that share characteristics of enteroaggregative and uropathogenic categories

• Grant number: 18/06610-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2018
• End date: January 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Waldir Pereira Elias Junior
• Grantee: Waldir Pereira Elias Junior
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Cecilia Mari Abe ; Enéas de Carvalho ; Tânia Aparecida Tardelli Gomes do Amaral
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/20845-1 - Evaluation of the capacity of one UPEC strain with EAEC markers to cause urinary tract infection in a ascending murine model, BP.TT

Abstract

Although Escherichia coli is an abundant component of the normal intestinal microbiota, some strains have acquired virulence factors that have made them pathogenic, causing intestinal or extraintestinal infections. The strains that cause intestinal infections are called diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC), while the extraintestinal E. coli (ExPEC) commonly cause urinary tract infections (UTI) and are known as uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC). Among the DEC pathotypes, enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) is defined as the pathotype that adheres to epithelial cells in vitro in the so-called aggregative adherence (AA) pattern. Children and adults living in developing countries as well as tourists visiting developing countries are susceptible to EAEC infections, which can result in persistent infection. Outbreaks of diarrhea caused by EAEC have been reported in developed countries. Recently, some reports have described the ability of EAEC to cause UTI in immunocompetent individuals, isolating strains of EAEC as a single pathogen of the urine of symptomatic patients. In addition, an EAEC strain of the O78:H10 serotype was the agent of an outbreak of ITU in Denmark. In a previous study, our group showed that a subgroup of fecal EAEC strains is inserted in the same phylogenetic groups of UPEC strains with EAEC markers presenting phylogenetic correlation. These data indicate the possibility that a subgroup of EAEC strains present uropathogenic potential, in the course of a diarrheal infection and in asymptomatic carriers, a very frequent feature in the epidemiology of EAEC. UTI present high morbidity, both in the community and in the hospital environment, resulting in high economic costs for public health and a decrease in labor productivity. Considering these facts, we will determine the virulence properties of EAEC strains that have ExPEC markers, identifying the factors involved in uropathogenesis and the genetic relationships between groups with and without ExPEC markers. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SCHUEROFF, PAULO A.; SALVADOR, FABIA A.; ABE, CECILIA M.; WAMI, HALELUYA T.; CARVALHO, ENEAS; HERNANDES, RODRIGO T.; DOBRINDT, ULRICH; GOMES, TANIA A. T.; ELIAS, WALDIR P.. The aggregate-forming pili (AFP) mediates the aggregative adherence of a hybrid-pathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC/EAEC) isolated from a urinary tract infection. VIRULENCE, v. 12, n. 1, p. 3073-3093, DEC 31 2021. (18/06610-9, 18/04144-0)

MUNHOZ, DANIELLE D.; SANTOS, FERNANDA F.; MITSUNARI, THAIS; SCHUROFF, PAULO A.; ELIAS, WALDIR P.; CARVALHO, ENEAS; PIAZZA, ROXANE M. F.. Hybrid Atypical Enteropathogenic and Extraintestinal Escherichia coli (aEPEC/ExPEC) BA1250 Strain: A Draft Genome. PATHOGENS, v. 10, n. 4, APR 2021. (18/06610-9, 17/25406-0, 17/14821-7)

SCHUEROFF, PAULO A.; ABE, CECILIA M.; SILVA, JONATAS W.; COELHO, CIDELI DE PAULA; ANDRADE, FERNANDA B.; HERNANDES, RODRIGO T.; DOBRINDT, ULRICH; GOMES, TANIA A. T.; ELIAS, WALDIR P.. Role of aggregate-forming pilus (AFP) in adherence and colonization of both intestinal and urinary tracts. VIRULENCE, v. 13, n. 1, p. 11-pg., 2022-12-31. (18/06610-9, 18/04144-0)

MORAES, CLAUDIA T. P.; LONGO, JONATHAN; SILVA, LUDMILA B.; PIMENTA, DANIEL C.; CARVALHO, ENEAS; MORONE, MARIANA S. L. C.; DA ROS, NANCY; SERRANO, SOLANGE M. T.; SANTOS, ANA CAROLINA M.; PIAZZA, ROXANE M. F.; et al. Surface Protein Dispersin of EnteroaggregativeEscherichia coliBinds Plasminogen That Is Converted Into Active Plasmin. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. 11, JUN 18 2020. (18/06610-9, 16/18583-0, 13/17419-4)