Campylobacter jejuni induces secretion of proinflammatory chemokines from human intestinal epithelial cells

Campylobacter jejuni is a common cause of diarrhea in humans. While the pathogenic mechanisms of C. jejuni are not completely understood, host inflammatory responses are thought to be contributing factors. In this report, C. jejuni 81-176 is shown to up-regulate chemokines essential to inflammatory responses. Growth-related oncogene (GRO), GRO, macrophage inflammatory protein 1, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), and gamma interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) mRNA transcription in INT-407 cells was enhanced within 4 h of bacterial exposure. Infection with viable campylobacters was necessary for sustained chemokine transcription and was NF-B dependent. GRO, IP-10, and MCP-1 chemokine secretions were confirmed by immunological assays. Campylobacters are a leading cause of diarrheal disease world-wide (2), yet very little is known about bacterial pathogenesis or bacterium-host interactions. Inflammation of the colon is a hallmark of campylobacter infections, and leukocytes and erythrocytes are almost always found in stool during active illness (13). Inflammation is thought to mediate, at least in part, host injury (1)