Phenotypic profile of the virulence of Escherichia coli isolated from patients with colon cancer

• Grant number: 16/04558-4
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal researcher: Mario Júlio Ávila-Campos
• Grantee: Filipe Menezes Bezerra
• Home Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Escherichia coli is a commensal bacterium of the intestinal tract and display a beneficial interaction with host. However, the expression of several virulence factors in some strains of E. coli are associated with various diseases, such as colorectal cancer (CRC). It has been observed that these bacteria are present in patients with CRC than in healthy, but it is unclear whether the bacteria or bacterial groups are responsible for the initiation and development of the disease. In some cases, there is a significant presence of E. coli particularly inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease. These processes are risk factors for the CRC development, since chronic inflammation promotes carcinogenesis. On the other hand, it is not completely defined if the inflammatory process in the CRC would be promoted by involvement of E. coli or other bacteria. Thus, this study aims to establish a profile of virulence factors expressed by E. coli isolated from patients with CRC, evaluating among them the production of catalase, motility, indole, gas, bacteriocin, hemolysin, beta-lactamases, reaction hemagglutination and hemagglutination inhibition, presence of bacteriophages, temperature resistance, susceptibility to serum production and inhibition of neuraminidase enzyme activity and susceptibility to antimicrobial agents including up heavy metals in order to better understand the interaction of these bacterial factors and development of the disease.