Clostridioides difficile-Associated Antibiotics Alter Human Mucosal Barrier Functions by Microbiome-Independent Mechanisms

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020 Mar 24;64(4):e01404-19. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01404-19. Print 2020 Mar 24.

Abstract

A clinically relevant risk factor for Clostridioides difficile-associated disease (CDAD) is recent antibiotic treatment. Although broad-spectrum antibiotics have been shown to disrupt the structure of the gut microbiota, some antibiotics appear to increase CDAD risk without being highly active against intestinal anaerobes, suggesting direct nonantimicrobial effects. We examined cell biological effects of antibiotic exposure that may be involved in bacterial pathogenesis using an in vitro germfree human colon epithelial culture model. We found a marked loss of mucosal barrier and immune function with exposure to the CDAD-associated antibiotics clindamycin and ciprofloxacin, distinct from the results of pretreatment with an antibiotic unassociated with CDAD, tigecycline, which did not reduce innate immune or mucosal barrier functions. Importantly, pretreatment with CDAD-associated antibiotics sensitized mucosal barriers to C. difficile toxin activity in primary cell-derived enteroid monolayers. These data implicate commensal-independent gut mucosal barrier changes in the increased risk of CDAD with specific antibiotics and warrant further studies in in vivo systems. We anticipate this work to suggest potential avenues of research for host-directed treatment and preventive therapies for CDAD.

Keywords: Clostridioides difficile; enteric organoid/enteroid; germ free; host response; postantibiotic effect; systems biology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / adverse effects*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Ciprofloxacin / adverse effects
  • Ciprofloxacin / pharmacology
  • Clindamycin / adverse effects
  • Clindamycin / pharmacology
  • Clostridioides difficile / drug effects*
  • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / drug therapy
  • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / microbiology
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects*
  • HT29 Cells
  • Humans
  • Mucous Membrane / microbiology
  • Mucous Membrane / physiology*
  • Risk Factors
  • Tigecycline / adverse effects
  • Tigecycline / pharmacology
  • Tight Junctions / drug effects*
  • Tight Junctions / microbiology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Clindamycin
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Tigecycline