The multifaceted virulence of adherent-invasive Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT

The surge in inflammatory bowel diseases, like Crohn’s disease (CD), is alarming. While the role of the gut microbiome in CD development is unresolved, the frequent isolation of adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) strains from patient biopsies, together with their propensity to trigger gut inflammation, underpin the potential role of these bacteria as disease modifiers. In this review, we explore the spectrum of AIEC pathogenesis, including their metabolic versatility in the gut. We describe how AIEC strains hijack the host defense mechanisms to evade immune attrition and promote inflammation. Furthermore, we highlight the key traits that differentiate AIEC from commensal E. coli. Deciphering the main components of AIEC virulence is cardinal to the discovery of the next generation of antimicrobials that can selectively eradicate CD-associated bacteria.

KEYWORDS:

• Inflammation
• Crohn’s disease
• adherent-invasiveE. coli
• metabolic adaptation
• immune evasion

Disclosure statement

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Data availability statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

W.E. is Canada Research Chair in Microbiome Research (Grant I.D. RES0056038RS). The work in Elhenawy laboratory is funded by Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology (Grant I.D. RES0057474) and Major Innovation Fund - One Health Consortium, Alberta (Grant I.D. RES0059404).