Gene expression profiles in human bladder epithelial cells stimulated with uropathogenic Escherichia coli / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the interaction between uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) and host uroepithelial cells, define the role uroepithelial cells play in initiating and modulating the host response to infection with UPEC strain. Methods The human bladder transitional epithelial EJ cells were evaluated for their capacities to allow the adherence and invasion by UPEC132, a clinical strain isolated from Tianjin, China, and a cDNA microarray for 22 000 human genes was used to identify the gene expression differences between EJ cells infected with UPEC132 and uninfected EJ cells. Results Microscope observation showed that UPEC132 could adhere to EJ cells with the adherence rate of (73.20 ± 5.26)%. And visualization by confocal microscope revealed that this microorganism could be seen within the cells. EJ cells infected with UPEC132 changed mRNA expression of a total of 29 genes, including 28 genes up-regulated and 1 gene down-regulated. Of these, regulators of growth and proliferation, cytokines, and modulators of apoptotic responses were the most prominent. Conclusion The gene expression profiling of EJ cells is affected by the infection of UPEC strain. The differentially expressed genes may contribute to further investigate the interaction of UPEC and uroepithelial cells.