Human intestinal epithelial cell cytokine mRNA responses mediated by NF-κB are modulated by the motility and adhesion process of Vibrio cholerae

Vibro cholerae, the etiological agent of cholera, colonizes the small intestine, produces an enterotoxin and causes acute inflammatory response at intestinal epithelial surface; the signals for such induction are still unknown. We determined the mRNA expression of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in Int407 cells following infection with V. cholerae or its mutants by semi-quantitaive and quantitative real-time RT-PCR. V. cholerae induces the coordinated expression and up-regulation of IL-1α, IL-6, GM-CSF and MCP-1 and down-regulation of TGF-β in Int407 cells. While the pathogenecity of V. cholerae was found to be a possible determinant in modulation of IL-1α and TGF-β, both IL-6 and MCP-1 OmpU might modulate induction. Significant reduction in IL-1α, GM-CSF and MCP-1 mRNA expression was observed upon infection with the less motile and less adherent strain O395YN. This association is supported by the absence of nuclear translocation of NF-κB (p50 subunit) upon infection with O395YN in contrast to wild-type. Moreover, TPCK treatment prior to V. cholerae infection indicated that proinflammatory cytokine gene expression in Int407 cells is NF-κB mediated. Thus, V. cholerae induces proinflammatory cytokine response in Int407 cells, which is mediated by NF-κB and is modulated, in part, by adherence or motility of this organism.