Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strains are associated with gastrointestinal and severe systemic disease in humans. EHEC O157:H7 is the most common serotype causing human infections in North America and the UK. Human infections mainly originate from cattle, through either direct contact with infected animals or indirectly through contamination of food or water with animal faeces. From the sequencing of EHEC O157 strains, it is clear that the genomes contain multiple prophages, many of them cryptic, which define this E. coli pathotype. These regions include the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) which is a critical horizontally acquired pathogenicity island and encodes a type III secretion system (T3SS). The T3SS translocates effector proteins into epithelial cells that enable tight attachment to these host cells and also modify innate responses and other cellular functions to promote persistence in the animal host. The T3SS is essential for the colonisation of cattle by EHEC O157 where it is localised to the terminal rectum. The regulation of T3S is complex with many regulators and environmental factors already identified. Previous work has demonstrated marked variation in the levels of T3S among EHEC O157 strains. The aim of this research was to further investigate the regulation of T3S towards two objectives: (1) to understand the localisation of EHEC O157 at the terminal rectum of cattle; (2) to understand the strain variation in T3S. (1) In relation to rectal and mucosal colonisation, established aerobic/anaerobic regulators were investigated including arcA, fnr, narX, narQ. Briefly, arcA, fnr, narX, narQ were deleted in an E. coli O157 strain ZAP198 by lambda red recombination. Apart from the fnr mutant which showed lower levels of T3S, the remaining mutants displayed similar T3S protein levels compared to the wild type strain. In addition, no significant changes in adherence and A/E lesion formation capacity were measured for the mutants following interaction with bovine epithelial cells. (2) Strain secretion variation was approached in two ways; the first was to control expression from the LEE1 operon, required for T3S expression, in order to both induce expression and examine the importance of downstream regulation. The second was to investigate variation in T3S between different phages types of EHEC O157. While attempts to construct an inducible T3SS were not successful, intermediate strains made in the process have been useful to dissect how regulators being studied in the laboratory control T3S. The main novel insights from the research have come from examining T3S in different EHEC O157 phage types. We found that the average level of T3S in PT 21/28 strains was lower than in PT 32 strains. Interestingly, most (90%) of PT 21/28 strains contained both Stx2 and Stx2c phages. In contrast, only 28% of PT 32 strains had both phages. Taken together, this raised the possibility that Stx phage integration might have a repressive impact on T3SS regulation in E.coli O157:H7. This hypothesis was addressed using a number of different approaches. Deletions of Stx phages were constructed and these had increased levels of T3S when compared to the parental strains. This phage regulation of T3SS was confirmed in an E. coli K12 background by examining an induced LEE1 reporter in the presence and absence of a transduced Stx2 phage. In addition, it was shown that deletion of the CII phage regulator led to increased T3S and may contribute to the Stx phage repression reported above. This work demonstrates for the first time that Stx phage integration represses T3S expression. It is proposed that this control may limit immune exposure of this critical colonisation factor and that the repression actually allows activation by prophage encoded regulators, including PchA/B, that co-ordinate T3S and non LEE-encoded effector expression to promote epithelial cell colonisation.

Les Escherichia coli entérohémorragiques (EHEC) sont responsables de toxi–infections alimentaires conduisant à des colites hémorragiques pouvant se compliquer d'un syndrome hémolytique et urémique. Le facteur majeur de pathogénicité est la production de Shiga-toxines (Stx), dont la toxine Stx2. Nous avons étudié la production de toxine Stx2 in vitro par des souches STEC provenant de diverses origines (bovine ou clinique), appartenant à divers séropathotypes, et codant pour différents variants Stx2. Nous avons montré que les souches O157:H7 les plus pathogènes possèdent le variant stx2 et produisent de fortes quantité de Stx2 en conditions basales comme en présence d'un inducteur du système SOS. Les souches non-O157 présentant ces caractéristiques pourraient représenter un risque pour la santé humaine. Nous avons ensuite étudié l'effet de molécules présentes dans le tube digestif sur la synthèse de Stx2 par E. coli O157:H7. Les auto-inducteurs AI-2 et AI-3 du quorum sensing, produits par le microbiote intestinal, n'influencent pas la synthèse de Stx2, non plus que l'hormone intestinale norépinéphrine. Cependant, la protéine régulatrice QseA impliquée dans une voie de signalisation par le quorum sensing serait un activateur transcriptionnel de stx2. Enfin, nous avons étudié la production de Stx2 par la souche EHEC O157:H7 EDL 933 dans un milieu se rapprochant le plus possible de celui rencontré in vivo par les EHEC, en particulier grâce à un modèle de rats associés au microbiote intestinal humain. Nous avons ainsi montré que le microbiote humain inhibe la transcription de stx2 par l'inhibition de la transcription de recA même lors de l'induction du système SOS, et que cette inhibition peut être en partie attribuée à l'espèce Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron.

O Objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver uma estratégia vacinal de utilizando linhagens de salmonellas capazes de expressar uma forma atoxica da principal toxina associada a linhagens de EHEC que causa a síndrome hemolítica urémica. Estas linhagens de salmonellas diferem na expressão de flagelina, a principal unidade estrutural do flagelo. As linhagens foram capazes de expressar uma forma atóxica da proteína \"Shiga-like\" no interior da bactéria e no espaço extracelular, apresentaram alta estabilidade plasmidial in vitro e in vivo e foram capazes de aumentar o grau de colonização intestinal. Além disso, avaliamos o potencial imunogênico de estas linhagens e encontramos que a imunização com três doses de salmonelas foram capazes de gerar anticorpos sistêmicos (IgG) e locais (IgA) com propriedades neutralizantes in vitro e proteção parcial em condições in vivo frente a ensaios de desafios com a toxina nativa. Não fomos capazes de encontrar diferencias significativas em lãs propriedades imunogênicas entre as linhagens que diferem na expressão de flagelina. Nossos resultados indicam que formas atóxicas da proteína Stx2 expressadas em vetores biológicos podem ser uma alternativa de estratégia vacinal para controlar a SHU. / The goal of this study was to develop a vaccine strategy of using Salmonella strains capable of expressing a nontoxic form of the main toxin associated with EHEC strains that cause hemolytic uremic syndrome. These strains of Salmonella differ in flagellin expression, the main structural unit of the flagellum. The strains were capable of expressing a nontoxic form of the protein \"Shiga-like\" within the bacteria and the extracellular space, showed high plasmid stability in vitro and in vivo and were able to increase the degree of intestinal colonization. Furthermore, we evaluated the immunogenic potential of these strains and found that immunization with three doses of salmonella were able to generate (IgA) humoral and (IgG) systemic antibodies with neutralizing properties in vitro and partial protection in vivo conditions facing trials challenges with the native toxin. We were unable to find significant differences in the immunogenic properties between these strains that differ in flagellin expression. Our results indicate that nontoxic forms of Stx2 expressed in biological vectors can be an alternative vaccine strategy to control the SHU.

O Objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver uma estratégia vacinal de utilizando linhagens de salmonellas capazes de expressar uma forma atoxica da principal toxina associada a linhagens de EHEC que causa a síndrome hemolítica urémica. Estas linhagens de salmonellas diferem na expressão de flagelina, a principal unidade estrutural do flagelo. As linhagens foram capazes de expressar uma forma atóxica da proteína \"Shiga-like\" no interior da bactéria e no espaço extracelular, apresentaram alta estabilidade plasmidial in vitro e in vivo e foram capazes de aumentar o grau de colonização intestinal. Além disso, avaliamos o potencial imunogênico de estas linhagens e encontramos que a imunização com três doses de salmonelas foram capazes de gerar anticorpos sistêmicos (IgG) e locais (IgA) com propriedades neutralizantes in vitro e proteção parcial em condições in vivo frente a ensaios de desafios com a toxina nativa. Não fomos capazes de encontrar diferencias significativas em lãs propriedades imunogênicas entre as linhagens que diferem na expressão de flagelina. Nossos resultados indicam que formas atóxicas da proteína Stx2 expressadas em vetores biológicos podem ser uma alternativa de estratégia vacinal para controlar a SHU. / The goal of this study was to develop a vaccine strategy of using Salmonella strains capable of expressing a nontoxic form of the main toxin associated with EHEC strains that cause hemolytic uremic syndrome. These strains of Salmonella differ in flagellin expression, the main structural unit of the flagellum. The strains were capable of expressing a nontoxic form of the protein \"Shiga-like\" within the bacteria and the extracellular space, showed high plasmid stability in vitro and in vivo and were able to increase the degree of intestinal colonization. Furthermore, we evaluated the immunogenic potential of these strains and found that immunization with three doses of salmonella were able to generate (IgA) humoral and (IgG) systemic antibodies with neutralizing properties in vitro and partial protection in vivo conditions facing trials challenges with the native toxin. We were unable to find significant differences in the immunogenic properties between these strains that differ in flagellin expression. Our results indicate that nontoxic forms of Stx2 expressed in biological vectors can be an alternative vaccine strategy to control the SHU.

Infecções associadas a cepas da Escherichia coli enterohemorrágica (EHEC), podem causar manifestações clínicas sendo a Síndrome Hemolítica Urêmica (SHU), a complicação mais severa. SHU está relacionada a presença da toxina de Shiga do tipo 2 (Stx2) e até o momento não se dispõe de uma vacina ou tratamentos efetivos para uso em humanos. Assim, este trabalho teve por objetivo desenvolver uma vacina baseada no derivado atóxico contendo a subunidade B e a porção A2 da subunidade A denominado Stx2ΔAB. Após expressão em linhagens de E.coli e tentativas iniciais de purificação, resultaram na formação de agregados proteicos. Ajustes nas condições de cultivo e purificação permitiram obter a proteína na forma de monômero da subunidade B, mas sem a presença da porção A2. O antígeno foi incorporado a lipossomas multilamelares (MLVs), combinados ao lipídio A e administrados por via subcutânea a camundongos. Animais imunizados desenvolveram anticorpos sistêmicos específicos contra Stx2 capazes de neutralizar a toxina in vitro e conferir proteção parcial a animais desafiados com dose letal da toxina. Em conclusão, o trabalho confirmou o potencial vacinal do antígeno e validou a estratégia baseada na incorporação do antígeno às MLVs como estratégia de imunização. / Infections associated with strains of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), can cause clinical manifestations are the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the most severe complication. HUS is related to the presence of Shiga toxin type 2 (Stx2) and yet do not have a vaccine or effective treatments for use in humans. This work aimed to develop a vaccine based on non-toxic derivative containing the B subunit and the A2 portion of the subunit called Stx2ΔAB. After expression in E. coli strains and initial purification attempts resulted in the formation of protein aggregates. Adjustments in the cultivation and purification conditions have enabled the protein as the monomer subunit B but without the presence of the A2 portion. The antigen was incorporated into multilamellar liposomes (MLVs), the combined lipid A and administered subcutaneously to mice. immunized animals develop systemic antibodies specific against Stx2 able to neutralize toxin in vitro and to confer partial protection when challenged with a lethal dose of toxin. In conclusion, the study confirmed the potential vaccine antigen and validated strategy based on antigen incorporation into MLVs as immunization strategy.