PLoS Pathogens (Jul 2011)

A Salmonella Typhimurium-Typhi genomic chimera: a model to study Vi polysaccharide capsule function in vivo.

  • Angela M Jansen,
  • Lindsay J Hall,
  • Simon Clare,
  • David Goulding,
  • Kathryn E Holt,
  • Andrew J Grant,
  • Piero Mastroeni,
  • Gordon Dougan,
  • Robert A Kingsley

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1002131
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 7
p. e1002131

Abstract

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The Vi capsular polysaccharide is a virulence-associated factor expressed by Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi but absent from virtually all other Salmonella serotypes. In order to study this determinant in vivo, we characterised a Vi-positive S. Typhimurium (C5.507 Vi(+)), harbouring the Salmonella pathogenicity island (SPI)-7, which encodes the Vi locus. S. Typhimurium C5.507 Vi(+) colonised and persisted in mice at similar levels compared to the parent strain, S. Typhimurium C5. However, the innate immune response to infection with C5.507 Vi(+) and SGB1, an isogenic derivative not expressing Vi, differed markedly. Infection with C5.507 Vi(+) resulted in a significant reduction in cellular trafficking of innate immune cells, including PMN and NK cells, compared to SGB1 Vi(-) infected animals. C5.507 Vi(+) infection stimulated reduced numbers of TNF-α, MIP-2 and perforin producing cells compared to SGB1 Vi(-). The modulating effect associated with Vi was not observed in MyD88(-/-) and was reduced in TLR4(-/-) mice. The presence of the Vi capsule also correlated with induction of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in vivo, a factor that impacted on chemotaxis and the activation of immune cells in vitro.