ABSTRACT
The interaction of the Clostridioides difficile spores with the intestinal mucosa contribute to the persistence and recurrence of the infection. Advanced age is one of the main risk factors to manifest C. difficile infection and recurrence. However, the interaction of C. difficile spores with the intestinal mucosa during aging has not been evaluated. In the present work, we provide a detailed protocol with all the critical information to perform an intestinal ligated loop. Using this technique in a mouse model, we evaluated C. difficile spore adherence and internalization to the ileum and colonic mucosa during aging. Consequently, our data suggest that spore internalization in the ileum and colonic mucosa is higher in elderly than in adults or young mice. Also, our data suggest that spore-adherence to the ileum and colonic mucosa decreases with aging.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS Conceptualization: Pablo Castro-Córdova, Daniel Paredes-Sabja.
Data curation: Pablo Castro-Córdova, María José Mendoza-León, Daniel Paredes-Sabja.
Formal analysis: Pablo Castro-Córdova; Daniel Paredes-Sabja.
Funding acquisition: Daniel Paredes-Sabja.
Investigation: Pablo Castro-Córdova, María José Mendoza-León, Daniel Paredes-Sabja.
Methodology: Pablo Castro-Córdova, Daniel Paredes-Sabja.
Project administration: Daniel Paredes-Sabja.
Resources: Daniel Paredes-Sabja.
Supervision: Daniel Paredes-Sabja.
Writing – original draft: Pablo Castro-Córdova, Daniel Paredes-Sabja.
Writing – review & editing: Pablo Castro-Córdova, Daniel Paredes-Sabja.