PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - T A Cogan
AU  - A O Thomas
AU  - L E N Rees
AU  - A H Taylor
AU  - M A Jepson
AU  - P H Williams
AU  - J Ketley
AU  - T J Humphrey
TI  - Norepinephrine increases the pathogenic potential of <em>Campylobacter jejuni</em>
AID  - 10.1136/gut.2006.114926
DP  - 2007 Aug 01
TA  - Gut
PG  - 1060--1065
VI  - 56
IP  - 8
4099  - http://gut.bmj.com/content/56/8/1060.short
4100  - http://gut.bmj.com/content/56/8/1060.full
SO  - Gut2007 Aug 01; 56
AB  - Background:Campylobacter jejuni can cause a spectrum of diseases in humans, ranging from enteritis and diarrhoea to severe inflammation, profuse bloody diarrhoea and chronic relapsing infection. Norepinephrine (NE) levels in the intestine increase under conditions of stress and trauma, and are thought to result in spill over of NE into the intestinal lumen. NE is known to stimulate the growth of a range of bacterial species, and to increase the pathogenicity of Escherichia coli. Aim: To determine the effects of NE on the pathogenic potential of C jejuni in a model system. Methods:C jejuni was grown in iron-replete and iron-limited media in the presence and absence of 100 μM NE. Several virulence-associated characteristics, including motility and cell invasion, were measured. Results: When C jejuni was grown in iron-limited media in the presence of NE, growth rate, motility and invasion of cultured epithelial cells were increased compared with cultures grown in the absence of NE. Bacteria exposed to NE during growth also caused greater subsequent disruption of cultured epithelial cell monolayers, inducing widespread breakdown of tight junctions. Conclusion: Exposure to NE causes an increase in the virulence-associated properties of Campylobacter. Stress and concomitant infection could therefore be contributory factors to the variable presentation of this disease.