The mammalian intestine contains a dense and diverse community of microorganisms. The resident microbiota makes contributions to host to promote proper immune system development and limit pathogen colonization. In this study, the effects of microbiota disruption with or without TLRs stimulation on intestinal permeability and immunity were examined in C57BL/6 mice receiving antibiotic treatment for 6 days and in antibiotics-treated mice received dead E. coli or S. aureus at day 4. The results showed that antibiotic treatment significantly decreased the total number of bacteria including specific aerobic group Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcus, and specific anaerobic group Lactococcus/Bifidobacterium in intestinal mucosa and lumen. Although only a slight increase in the intestinal permeability and no change in caspase-3 activity of intestinal mucosa were observed after antibiotic treatment, the bacterial translocation (BT) to mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) increased significantly. Subsequent experiments showed that antibiotic treatment decreased the mucosal killing activity and the expression of non-defensin family including RegIII£], RegIII£^, CRP-ductin and RELM£] but not the defensin family, and increased the translocation of pathogen K. pneumoniae significantly, suggesting that the increase of BT to MLN after antibiotic treatment is likely due to a reduction in gut immunity rather than an increase of intestinal permeability. Moreover, stimulation of TLR4 reversed the effect of antibiotic treatment, suggesting that the functioning of TLR4 in intestinal epithelium is required to prevent pathogenic invasion and maintain intestinal homeostasis.

Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands and phytochemical feed additives (PFAs) were evaluated in this study to determine the effects of immune stimulation on gut immunity in the zebrafish, Danio rerio, and the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. Rag1-/- (MT) zebrafish were used to study how the TLR ligands β-glucan and resiquimod (R848) affect the innate immune system in the gut of MT zebrafish. Enhanced expression of marker genes (NITR9, NCCRP-1 and MPEG-1) indicated stimulation of Natural Killer (NK) cells, non-specific cytotoxic cells (NCCs) and macrophages. After challenge with Edwardsiella ictaluri, MT zebrafish stimulated with β-glucan demonstrated higher survival and the presence of more macrophages/monocytes in the gut than control MT zebrafish. A PFA test diet containing a blend of prebiotic fiber, oregano, thyme, cinnamon essential oils, and Yucca schidigera (ONE Current™, OC) was fed to channel catfish for 3 months in ponds to determine the effect on channel catfish fingerling growth. Fish were fed in ponds and a tank bacterial challenge followed to test the efficacy of the product. Catfish fed OC demonstrated greater weight gain and feed conversion ratios, higher survival after challenge with E. ictaluri, greater phagocytosis or binding by macrophages and cytotoxic cells. Catfish fed OC also demonstrated greater gut surface area after 2 months feeding OC. To elucidate the effect(s) of each of the compounds in the OC diet on gut immune responses and to determine if PFAs can decrease bacterial colonization and replication within gut tissues, WT and MT zebrafish were fed diets containing different compounds included in OC. Quantification of live bacteria from gut and kidney tissue was determined after challenge with E. ictaluri. Expression levels of immune response genes were evaluated after ingestion of PFAs. Actifibe, Essential oil 25 ppm (EO 25) and Actifibe + EO demonstrated the lowest infection and colonization rate, upregulation of immune response genes, and significantly higher survival when challenged with E. ictaluri. This study demonstrates the potential for application of TLR ligand and feed administered PFAs to improve fish health. Our findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of host gut/pathogen interactions as well as suggestions for novel disease control measures.

Neonates are generally thought to be more likely to suffer from gastrointestinal disease, owing in part to diminished immune cell function. To gain insight into the development of mucosal immune responses during early life, we developed a model of orogastric infection with the Gram-negative bacterium Yersinia enterocolitica using murine neonates. Remarkably, neonatal mice of either the BALB/c or C57BL/6 mouse strains showed markedly enhanced survival after infection compared to adult mice. Both innate and adaptive immune components appear to contribute to this phenomenon. First, the increased resistance of neonates coincided with containment of the bacteria in the intestinal tissue with low dissemination into the spleen and liver. In contrast, the bacteria readily disseminated to the peripheral tissues in adult mice. Flow cytometric and histological studies revealed increased levels of neutrophils and macrophages in the neonatal mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) compared to adult mice. Similar results were obtained using two different high virulence Y. enterocolitica strains. The rapid mobilization of innate cells sequestered the bacteria to the intestinal tissue, since in vivo neutrophil depletion led to efficient dissemination of Y. enterocolitica to the spleen and liver of neonates. Together, these results support the hypothesis that the neonatal intestinal immune system is competent to mount a strong antibacterial response by rapidly mobilizing innate phagocytes and thereby confining the bacterial infection to the gut, resulting in a high level of resistance. Second, we have also demonstrated that the adaptive immune system was mobilized during primary and secondary infection with this pathogen and that some of these factors may contribute to the enhanced resistance of neonatal mice to infection. Primary infection in neonates led to increased levels of antigen presenting cells, B and T cells with an activated phenotype in the MLN. MLN CD4+ Th cells from infected neonates were found to produce greater levels of IFN-gamma and IL-17A, compared to CD4+ Th cells from adult mice. These Th responses are likely to be functionally significant because neonatal mice deficient in CD4+ T cells were found to be more susceptible than adult mice to primary infection. CD4+ T cells adoptively transferred into CD4 deficient mice rescued the majority of mice from lethal infection and led to the production of IFN-gamma and IL-17A by MLN cells. In addition, primary T cell-dependent IgG1 and IgG2a serum antibodies specific for the Yersinia immunogen LcrV were increased compared to adult mice, and the absence of B cells partially increased the susceptibility of neonatal mice to primary infection. During secondary infection, however, neonatal and adult mice mounted quantitatively and qualitatively similar Yersinia-specific memory antibody responses, demonstrating that infection with Y. enterocolitica promotes mature B cell responses in neonatal mice. Finally, primed neonatal and adult mice were protected from colonization of the Peyer's patches, weight loss and mortality after a lethal infection in adulthood, demonstrating the development of long-lived protective memory responses at the intestinal interface. Together, these results indicate that both B and T cell responses, in particular Th1 and Th17 associated immunity, are important for the development of long lasting immunity to this pathogen in early life. Third, infection of neonatal mice with a Y. enterocolitica strain deleted of the anti-inflammatory protein YopP led to massive infiltration and/or accumulation of innate phagocytes in the intestine and MLN. This effect was not detectable in infected adult mice. Thus, we have identified a novel negative regulator of intestinal inflammation which might be valuable in preventing or ameliorating inflammatory conditions. This model system has revealed the unprecedented potential of neonatal mice to develop protective inflammatory innate and adaptive immunity at mucosal surfaces. The combined results presented here demonstrate that neonatal mice may be well equipped to mount robust innate and adaptive intestinal inflammatory responses that are highly protective toward Y. enterocolitica. These findings have implications for understanding how pediatric intestinal adaptive immune responses develop in response to naturally occurring gastroenteric pathogens and offer a new biological platform for development of vaccines aimed at improving mucosal and systemic immunity in early life.

La consommation de polyphénols, micronutriments largement répandus dans lesaliments d’origine végétale, a été associée à la diminution du risque de développement denombreuses pathologies telles que maladies cardiovasculaires, maladies neurodégénérativesou cancers. Cet effet des polyphénols s’explique en partie par leurs propriétés antioxydanteset anti-inflammatoires. Du fait de leur faible absorption au niveau de l’intestin grêle, lespolyphénols sont présents en grande quantité dans le côlon où ils peuvent exercer cespropriétés. L’inflammation intestinale fait interagir le système immunitaire intestinal avecde nombreux facteurs environnementaux et est fréquemment associée à une augmentationdu stress oxydant via la production d’espèces réactives de l’oxygène par les cellulesimmunitaires. De nombreuses études ont montré, sur des modèles animaux d’inflammationintestinale, les effets protecteurs de certains polyphénols. La verveine odorante (Aloysiatriphylla (L’Hérit.) Britton) est une plante médicinale connue pour ses vertus thérapeutiquesdigestives et anti-spasmodiques et couramment consommée en infusion. L’infusé deverveine odorante contient de grandes quantités de polyphénols (acides phénoliquescomplexes et dérivés de flavones) et ses propriétés antioxydantes ont été mises en évidenceaussi bien in vitro qu’in vivo.L’objectif de cette thèse a donc été d'évaluer l’effet d’une consommation préventived’un infusé de verveine odorante à dose nutritionnelle (40 g/l et 4 g/l) sur le développementd’une inflammation intestinale modérée chez le rat. Des rats Wistar ont consommé commeboisson l’infusé de verveine seul pendant deux semaines puis associé à un agentinflammatoire, le sulfate de dextran sodique (DSS), à 4% pendant 7 ou 9 jours. L’effet de laverveine a été évalué sur différents paramètres cliniques (diarrhée, saignements rectaux,poids corporel), marqueurs de l’inflammation (longueur du côlon, score histologique,activité myéloperoxydase, cytokines) et du stress oxydant (peroxydation lipidique,glutathion, défenses antioxydantes enzymatiques). Les cellules immunitaires ont étéidentifiées dans le sang ainsi que dans les structures lymphoïdes secondaires par cytométrieen flux. Enfin l’étude du métabolisme des polyphénols en situation inflammatoire ou non aété initiée par l’analyse de l’excrétion urinaire des dérivés polyphénoliques.Lors d’une inflammation de 7 jours, la consommation préventive d’infusé deverveine à 40 g/l et 4 g/l retarde l’apparition de diarrhée et de saignements rectaux, limite larétraction du côlon et la diminution de la prise de poids des rats. Malgré l’absence d’effetsur l’activité myéloperoxydase, l’infusé à 40 g/l atténue les altérations histologiques de lamuqueuse colique induites par l’inflammation. L’infusé à 4 g/l stimule l’activité de lasuperoxyde dismutase et réduit la peroxydation lipidique. Les deux infusés modulent lespopulations de cellules immunitaires dans les structures lymphoïdes secondaires (ganglionsmésentériques et plaques de Peyer), en particulier les lymphocytes B et les lymphocytes Tcytotoxiques. L’excrétion urinaire des polyphénols de la verveine est faible et n'est pasaffectée par l'inflammation. Lors d’une inflammation de 9 jours, les deux infusés limitentl’augmentation d’activité de la myéloperoxydase. Seul l’infusé à 40 g/l limite la rétractiondu côlon, stimule l’activité de la glutathion réductase et diminue les taux d’IL-6 et deTNF-α. Ainsi, nous avons montré qu’une consommation préventive d’un infusé de verveineodorante offre des effets protecteurs lors de l’inflammation intestinale en agissant àdifférents niveaux. L’exploration des voies de signalisation impliquées pourrait permettre demieux comprendre les effets protecteurs de cette boisson de consommation courante. / Polyphenols are micronutrients widely distributed in foods of plant origin and theirconsumption has been associated with a decreased risk of various pathologies such ascardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. This effect of polyphenolsis sustained by their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Due to their poorabsorption in the small intestine, high amounts of polyphenols reach the colon where theycan exert such properties. Intestinal inflammation results from an interaction between gutimmunity and various environmental factors and is frequently associated with an increase ofoxidative stress. Numerous studies have shown protective effects of polyphenols in animalcolitis models. Lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla (L’Hérit.) Britton) is a medicinal herbknown for its digestive and antispasmodic properties and is widely consumed as an infusion.Lemon verbena infusion contains large amounts of polyphenols (complex phenolic acidsand flavone glycosides) and their antioxidative properties have been shown in vitro and invivo.The aim of the present thesis was to evaluate the effects of a preventive consumptionof lemon verbena infusion at nutritional doses (40 g/l and 4 g/l) on the development of amoderate colitis in the rat. Wistar rats ingested lemon verbena infusion alone as a drink fortwo weeks and then associated with the inflammatory agent dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) at4% for 7 or 9 days. Effects of lemon verbena were evaluated on several clinical parameters(diarrhoea, rectal bleeding, body weight), inflammatory markers (colon length, histologicalscore, myeloperoxidase activity, cytokines) and oxidative stress markers (lipid peroxidation,glutathione, antioxidative enzymatic defenses). Immune cells were identified in blood andgut associated lymphoid structures using flow cytometry. Moreover, the study of polyphenolmetabolism was initiated by the analysis of urinary polyphenol metabolites in healthy andcolitis rats.During a 7 days inflammation, the preventive consumption of lemon verbenainfusion at 40 g/l and 4 g/l delays apparition of diarrhoea and rectal bleeding, limits thecolon length reduction and the decrease of body weight gain. Despite no effect onmyeloperoxidase activity, the 40 g/l infusion attenuates colonic mucosa alterations due tothe colitis. The 4 g/l infusion increases superoxide dismutase activity and reduces lipidperoxidation. Both infusions modulate immune cell populations in gut associated lymphoidstructures (mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyer patches), especially B cells and cytotoxic Tcells. Urinary excretion of lemon verbena polyphenols is low and not modified byinflammation. During a 9 days inflammation, both lemon verbena infusions limitmyeloperoxidase increase. Only the 40 g/l infusion reduces colon retraction, increasesglutathione reductase activity and reduces colonic IL-6 and TNF-α levels.Thus, we have shown that the preventive consumption of a lemon verbena infusionprovided protection against intestinal inflammation at different levels. Exploration ofvarious signalling pathways could allow better insight into the protective effects of thiscommon beverage.