Endothelial Binding of Beta Toxin to Small Intestinal Mucosal Endothelial Cells in Early Stages of Experimentally Induced Clostridium Perfringens Type C Enteritis in Pigs

• Published in: Veterinary pathology Vol. 50; no. 4; pp. 626 - 629
• Main Authors: Schumacher, V. L., Martel, A., Pasmans, F., Van Immerseel, F., Posthaus, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.07.2013
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Bacterial Toxins - metabolism; Clostridium Infections - microbiology; Clostridium Infections - pathology; Clostridium Infections - veterinary; Clostridium perfringens; Clostridium perfringens - pathogenicity; Clostridium perfringens - physiology; Disease Models, Animal; Endothelial Cells - microbiology; Endothelial Cells - pathology; Enteritis - microbiology; Enteritis - pathology; Enteritis - veterinary; Female; Immunohistochemistry; Intestinal Mucosa - microbiology; Intestinal Mucosa - pathology; Intestine, Small - microbiology; Intestine, Small - pathology; Jejunum - microbiology; Jejunum - pathology; Swine; Swine Diseases - microbiology; Swine Diseases - pathology; Virulence Factors; beta toxin; endothelial cell; porcine; experimental infection; intestinal loop model; Clostridium perfringens type C; immunohistochemistry; necrotizing enteritis
• ISSN: 0300-9858; 1544-2217
• DOI: 10.1177/0300985812461362

Beta toxin (CPB) is known to be an essential virulence factor in the development of lesions of Clostridium perfringens type C enteritis in different animal species. Its target cells and exact mechanism of toxicity have not yet been clearly defined. Here, we evaluate the suitability of a neonatal piglet jejunal loop model to investigate early lesions of C. perfringens type C enteritis. Immunohistochemically, CPB was detected at microvascular endothelial cells in intestinal villi during early and advanced stages of lesions induced by C. perfringens type C. This was first associated with capillary dilatation and subsequently with widespread hemorrhage in affected intestinal segments. CPB was, however, not demonstrated on intestinal epithelial cells. This indicates a tropism of CPB toward endothelial cells and suggests that CPB-induced endothelial damage plays an important role in the early stages of C. perfringens type C enteritis in pigs.