Evaluation of Internalin-C Role in L. Monocytogenes Infection and its Correlation with Exocyst Receptor in Diarrhea Patients using Rabbit Intestinal Loop Model

Hussam Abdul Zahra; Nawar Al-Janabi; Naktel Faaz

Hussam Abdul Zahra Department of Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Qasim Green University, Babylon, Iraq
Nawar Al-Janabi Department of Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Qasim Green University, Babylon, Iraq
Naktel Faaz Department of Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Qasim Green University, Babylon, Iraq

Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, exocyst, RT-qPCR

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular bacterium causes many diseases, such as septicemia, brain infection, abortion, and perinatal infection. Internalin-C (InlC) is a virulence gene present only in pathogenic Listeria and InlC mutant Listeria is significantly less virulent. InlC is responsible for facilitating the spread of listeria across host cells. In eukaryotic cells, intracellular vesicles are trafficked to specific sites in the plasma membrane through a multicomponent complex called ‘exocyst’ where the InlC of L. monocytogenes co-opt to promote internalization of the bacterium within the cells and tissues. However, the aim of this study was to evaluate the role of InlC in L. monocytogenes infection and its correlation with exocyst receptor in diarrhea patients using the rabbit intestinal loop model. To achieve our aim, two intestinal loops were constructed surgically in a live rabbit, and the first intestinal loop was injected by 1 ml of 107 CFU/ml of L. monocytogenes, and the second intestinal loop was injected by 1 ml of (PBS) as a control. Result showed that expression levels of InlC was significantly high in L. monocytogenes injected into the intestinal loop (fold- 5.3499) compared to expression levels of InlC in L. monocytogenes grown on (BHI) agar as a control (fold- 1.0143), ( p-value 0.001). Also, the expression levels of exocyst receptor was highly significant in the rabbit intestinal tissues injected by L. monocytogenes (fold- 2.3436) compared to expression levels of exocyst in the intestinal tissues injected by (PBS) as a control (fold- 1.0461), ( p-value 0.017). The present study offers a useful method for comprehending the relationship between the host and pathogen as well as the pathogenicity of L. monocytogenes during infection.

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