Parenteral nutrition increases susceptibility of ileum to invasion by E coli.

Background: Parenteral nutrition (PN), with the lack of enteral feeding, compromises mucosal immune function and increases the risk of infections. We developed an ex vivo intestinal segment culture (EVISC) model to study the ex vivo effects of PN on susceptibility of the ileum to invasion by extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) and on ileal secretion of antimicrobial secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) in response to the pathogen.

Materials And Methods: Study 1: Using mouse (n = 7) ileal tissue, we examined the effects of ileal region (proximal versus distal) and varying ExPEC inoculum concentrations on ex vivo susceptibility to ExPEC invasion and sPLA2 secretion.