Primary human colonic myofibroblasts are resistant to Clostridium difficile toxin A-induced, but not toxin B-induced, cell death

Infect Immun. 2011 Apr;79(4):1623-30. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00686-10. Epub 2011 Jan 18.

Abstract

Colonic inflammation in Clostridium difficile infection is mediated by released toxins A and B. We investigated responses to C. difficile toxins A and B by isolated primary human colonic myofibroblasts, which represent a distinct subpopulation of mucosal cells that are normally located below the intestinal epithelium. Following incubation with either purified toxin A or B, there was a change in myofibroblast morphology to stellate cells with processes that were immunoreactive for alpha-smooth muscle actin. Most of the myofibroblasts remained viable, with persistence of stellate morphology, despite exposure to high concentrations (up to 10 μg/ml) of toxin A for 72 h. In contrast, a majority of the toxin B-exposed myofibroblasts lost their processes prior to cell death over 24 to 72 h. At low concentrations, toxin A provided protection against toxin B-induced cell death. Within 4 h, myofibroblasts exposed to either toxin A or toxin B lost expression of the nonglucosylated form of Rac1, and there was also a loss of the active form of RhoA. Despite preexposure to high concentrations of toxin A for 3 h, colonic myofibroblasts were able to recover their morphology and proliferative capacity during prolonged culture in medium. However, toxin B-preexposed myofibroblasts were not able to recover. In conclusion, primary human colonic mucosal myofibroblasts are resistant to toxin A (but not toxin B)-induced cell death. Responses by colonic myofibroblasts may play an important role in mucosal protection, repair, and regeneration in colitis due to C. difficile infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bacterial Proteins / toxicity*
  • Bacterial Toxins / toxicity*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Death
  • Cell Line
  • Clostridioides difficile / chemistry*
  • Colon / microbiology
  • Colon / pathology
  • Enterotoxins / toxicity*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Microscopy, Phase-Contrast
  • Middle Aged
  • Myofibroblasts / pathology*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Enterotoxins
  • tcdA protein, Clostridium difficile
  • toxB protein, Clostridium difficile