The intestine is constantly exposed to bacteria, invading viruses and ingested food. The intestinal barrier serves as a gate preventing passage of harmful components, and at the same time maintaining absorption of nutrients and water. There are over 300 different bacteria species in the human gastrointestinal tract (GI) comprising over 10 times as many cells as the human body. These bacteria are both of commensal and pathogenic strains in which commensal bacteria and antimicrobial peptides have an important role of controlling the intestinal colonization. The intestinal flora is sampled by the membranous cells (M cells) that are present in the follicle associated epithelium (FAE). Antigens encounter immune cells found in Peyer’s patches located in the distal ileum with FAE overlaying them. Due to environmental factors, genetic predisposition, immune dysregulation or dysbiosis the balance can be shifted which, in turn, will lead to the defect in the barrier function, leading to the development of disorders such as Crohn’s disease (CD). CD is a chronic inflammation in the GI tract, often originating in the distal ileum in FAE and associated with an increased number of adherent invasive strains of bacteria. Specifically adherent invasive E.coli (AIEC) that have been isolated from the ileum and colon of CD patients.

The aim of the present thesis was to study bacterial epithelial interaction during inflammation in in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro models.

In the first project we found that that Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (FP), possess anti-inflammatory properties in the ileum of an in vivo DSS induced colitis mouse model.

In the second project, we discovered that infliximab, known to have anti-inflammatory effects by binding soluble TNF and blocking TNF receptors, reduces bacterial transcytosis across colonic biopsies of CD patients and decreases transcytosis and internalization in cell monolayers in vitro. Moreover, we demonstrated that HM427 bacteria, isolated from colonic mucosa of CD patients, uses lipid raft formations to penetrate the barrier under the influence of TNF in an in vitro model.

In project three, we demonstrated that LF82 bacteria, which is an adherent invasive strain of E.coli that has been isolated from the ileum of CD patients, exploits FAE of CD patients and non-IBD control patients to penetrate the barrier via the CEACAM6 receptor and long polar fimbriae. We further demonstrated that there is an increased expression of CEACM6 receptor in the FAE of CD patients, which leads to increased transcytosis of LF82 compared to non-IBD control group.

In project four, our results suggested that human α-defensin 5 significantly decreases the passage of LF82 bacteria in an in vitro and ex vivo models. Moreover, we demonstrated that CD patients have a lower expression of human α-defensin 5 in the crypts compared to the non-IBD control patients.

Taken together, our findings have given a novel insight into the etiology of CD and into the mechanisms involved in bacterial-epithelial interaction in CD.

Objective: Infliximab is important in the therapeutic arsenal of Crohn’s disease (CD). However, its effect on mucosal barrier function is not fully understood. Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) are important in CD pathophysiology, but the transmucosal uptake routes are partly unknown. We investigated effects of infliximab on uptake of colon-specific AIEC HM427 across CD colonic mucosa.

Materials and methods: Endoscopic biopsies from non-inflamed colon of seven patients with CD, before and after two infliximab infusions, and eight non-inflammation controls, were mounted in Ussing chambers. Paracellular permeability (⁵¹Cr-EDTA) and transmucosal passage of GFP-expressing HM427 were studied. Mechanisms of HM427 transepithelial transport were investigated in Caco-2 monolayers treated with TNF, in the presence of infliximab and/or endocytosis inhibitors.

Results: Before infliximab treatment, colonic passage of HM427 [CD: 2475 CFU (450–3000); controls 1163(225–1950)] and ⁵¹Cr-EDTA permeability were increased in CD (p < .05), but were restored to control levels by infliximab (CD: 150 (18.8–1069)). In TNF-exposed Caco-2 monolayers HM427 transport and lipid rafts/HM427 co-localization was decreased by infliximab. The lipid raft inhibitor methyl-β-cyclodextrin decreased HM427 transport.

Conclusion: Infliximab restored the colonic barrier to AIEC in CD; an effect partially mediated by blocking lipid rafts in epithelial cells. This ability likely contributes to infliximab’s clinical efficacy in colonic CD.

Objective. The intestinal microbiota plays a substantial role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (FP) is underrepresented in IBD patients and have been suggested to have anti-inflammatory effects in mice. Increased intestinal permeability is common in IBD but the relationship between FP and intestinal barrier function has not been investigated. Our aim was to study treatment with FP supernatant on intestinal barrier function in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) colitis mice model. Material and methods. C57BL/6 mice received 3% DSS in tap water ad libitum during five days to induce colitis. From day 3 the mice received a daily gavage with FP supernatant or broth during seven days. Ileum and colon were mounted in Ussing chambers for permeability studies with Cr-51-EDTA and Escherichia coli K-12. Colon was saved for Western blot analyses of tight junction proteins. Results. DSS-treated mice showed significant weight loss and colon shortening. Gavage with FP supernatant resulted in a quicker recovery after DSS treatment and less extensive colonic shortening. Ileal mucosa of DSS mice showed a significant increase in Cr-51-EDTA-passage compared to controls. Cr-51-EDTA passage was significantly decreased in mice receiving FP supernatant. No significant differences were observed in passage of E. coli K12. Western blots showed a trend to increased claudin-1 and claudin-2 expressions in DSS mice. Conclusions. Supernatant of FP enhances the intestinal barrier function by affecting paracellular permeability, and may thereby attenuate the severity of DSS-induced colitis in mice. These findings suggest a potential role of FP in the treatment of IBD.