[ODP10] 3. Physiology / Structural biology -a. Metabolism, biosynthesis and metabolome

[ODP-048] The effect of organic acid on Campylobacter jejuni infection

Mana Makimoto¹, Shiho Fukushima¹, Saki Yamanaka¹, Takaaki Shimohata^1,2, Takashi Uebanso¹, Kazuaki Mawatari¹, Akira Takahashi¹ (¹Dept. Prevent. Environ. Nutr., Inst. Biomed. Sci., Tokushima Univ. Grad. Sch., ²Marine Bio., Fukui Prefect. Univ.)

Background: Campylobacter jejuni (Cj) is a cause of gastrointestinal foodborne disease in human. It bacterium is commensal in avians, but it bacterium is pathogen in humans. In intestinal environment, organic acid produced in one of key factor for enterobacteria, which affect the viability, growth, and gene expression of various pathogenic bacteria. However, association between Cj metabolism and the virulence are uncleared. In this study, we estimated Cj significance metabolites, and investigated contribution of virulence changes during Cj infection in in vivo model.
Method: To investigate the Cj significance secreted compounds -culture supernatant was analyzed by GC-MS. In addition, we assessed the effect of metabolite on the Cj virulence, adhesion and invasion to host cells. Intracellular bacterial cell number was estimated by gentamycin protection assay.
Results & Discussion: In culture supernatant of Cj, there was reduction in amino acid and induction in specific organic acid. The organic acid production was abolished in amino acid free medium. Also, Cj adhesion and invasion was facilitated by the organic acid stimulation. Our results suggest that Cj make an advantageous environment by sensing and secreting organic acid, and altering its own virulence.