Jyotsna Agarwal
King George’s Medical University
Title: Comparative gene expression of urine and fecal E. coli isolated from women with acute cystitis
Biography
Biography: Jyotsna Agarwal
Abstract
Temporal and spatial regulation of gene expression induced by bladder environment may be accountable for difference in the pathogenicity of urinary and fecal E. coli isolates. In order to better understand the pathogenesis of urinary tract infection (UTI), genetic and functional (expression) profiles of cystitis and fecal E. coli isolates were analyzed in present study. Fifty sets of concurrent urinary and dominant fecal E. coli from women with acute cystitis were correlated by analyzing their mRNA and phenotypic expression for five virulence genes (VGs) viz. fimH, papG alleles, hlyA, iutA and traT along with phylogenetic grouping. Predominance of phylogenetic group B2 (48% and 40%, respectively) and higher prevalence of VGs fimH (82% and 78%), followed by traT (66% and 46%), and iutA (44% and 40%) was observed in both urinary and fecal E. coli isolates, respectively; with traT being the only gene significantly associated with urinary isolates (p=0.04). Number of urinary E. coli expressing mRNA and corresponding phenotype of the respective gene tested was more in urinary isolates as compared to fecal isolates; though this difference was statistically significant only for traT (p=0.02). Differences between genetic and expression profiles of concurrent dominant fecal and cystitis E. coli were not prominent; indicating establishment of symptomatic infection might be more dependent on the host factors rather than on the virulence potential of uropathogens alone.