Involvement of glycosaminoglycans in the attachment of pneumococci to nasopharyngeal epithelial cells

Identification of heparin-binding proteins expressed on Trichosporon asahii cell surface

Trichosporon asahii is a pathogenic yeast that cause trichosporonosis. T. asahii exhibits several colony morphologies, such as white (W)- or off-white (O)-type, which may affect virulence. In this study, we compared the expression pattern of heparin-binding proteins in various colony morphologies and identified heparin-binding protein in T. asahii. Surface plasmon resonance analysis revealed that cell surface molecules attached more strongly to heparin in W- than O-type cells. We purified and identified a heparin-binding protein strongly expressed in W-type cells using heparin-Sepharose beads, named it heparin-binding protein 1 (HepBP1), and expressed Flag-tagged HepBP1 in mammalian cells. The heparin-binding ability of Flag-tagged HepBP1 was confirmed by pulldown assay using heparin-Sepharose beads. Thus, HepBP1 is a heparin-binding protein on T. asahii cell surface. These results suggest that several T. asahii cell surface proteins interact with glycosaminoglycans; therefore, they could contribute to infection.

Sulfated motifs in heparan sulfate inhibit Streptococcus pneumoniae adhesion onto fibronectin and attenuate corneal infection

A large number of bacterial pathogens bind to host extracellular matrix (ECM) components. For example, many Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens express binding proteins for fibronectin (FN) on their cell surface. Mutagenesis studies of bacterial FN-binding proteins have demonstrated their importance in pathogenesis in preclinical animal models. However, means to draw on these findings to design therapeutic approaches that specifically target FN-bacteria interactions have not been successful because bacterial pathogens can elaborate several FN-binding proteins and also because FN is an essential protein and likely a nondruggable target. Here we report that select heparan compounds potently inhibit Streptococcus pneumoniae infection of injured corneas in mice. Using intact heparan sulfate (HS) and heparin (HP), heparinase-digested fragments of HS, HP oligosaccharides, and chemically or chemoenzymatically modified heparan compounds, we found that inhibition of S. pneumoniae corneal infection by heparan compounds is not mediated by simple charge effects but by a selective sulfate group. Removal of 2-O-sulfates significantly inhibited the ability of HP to inhibit S. pneumoniae corneal infection, whereas the addition of 2-O-sulfates to heparosan (H) significantly increased H's ability to inhibit bacterial corneal infection. Proximity ligation assays indicated that S. pneumoniae attaches directly to FN fibrils in the corneal epithelial ECM and that HS and HP specifically inhibit this binding interaction in a 2-O-sulfate-dependent manner. These data suggest that heparan compounds containing 2-O-sulfate groups protect against S. pneumoniae corneal infection by inhibiting bacterial attachment to FN fibrils in the subepithelial ECM of injured corneas. Moreover, 2-O-sulfated heparan compounds significantly inhibited corneal infection in immunocompromised hosts, by a clinical keratitis isolate of S. pneumoniae, and also when topically administered in a therapeutic manner. These findings suggest that the administration of nonanticoagulant 2-O-sulfated heparan compounds may represent a plausible approach to the treatment of S. pneumoniae keratitis.

Neutrophil Recruitment in Pneumococcal Pneumonia

Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is the primary agent of community-acquired pneumonia. Neutrophils are innate immune cells that are essential for bacterial clearance during pneumococcal pneumonia but can also do harm to host tissue. Neutrophil migration in pneumococcal pneumonia is therefore a major determinant of host disease outcomes. During Spn infection, detection of the bacterium leads to an increase in proinflammatory signals and subsequent expression of integrins and ligands on both the neutrophil as well as endothelial and epithelial cells. These integrins and ligands mediate the tethering and migration of the neutrophil from the bloodstream to the site of infection. A gradient of host-derived and bacterial-derived chemoattractants contribute to targeted movement of neutrophils. During pneumococcal pneumonia, neutrophils are rapidly recruited to the pulmonary space, but studies show that some of the canonical neutrophil migratory machinery is dispensable. Investigation of neutrophil migration is necessary for us to understand the dynamics of pneumococcal infection. Here, we summarize what is known about the pathways that lead to migration of the neutrophil from the capillaries to the lung during pneumococcal infection.

The SARS-CoV-2 Entry Inhibition Mechanisms of Serine Protease Inhibitors, OM-85, Heparin and Soluble HS Might Be Linked to HS Attachment Sites

This article discusses the importance of D-xylose for fighting viruses (especially SARS-CoV-2) that use core proteins as receptors at the cell surface, by providing additional supporting facts that these viruses probably bind at HS/CS attachment sites (i.e., the hydroxyl groups of Ser/Thr residues of the core proteins intended to receive the D-xylose molecules to initiate the HS/CS chains). Essentially, the additional supporting facts, are: some anterior studies on the binding sites of exogenous heparin and soluble HS on the core proteins, the inhibition of the viral entry by pre-incubation of cells with heparin, and additionally, corroborating studies about the mechanism leading to type 2 diabetes during viral infection. We then discuss the mechanism by which serine protease inhibitors inhibit SARS-CoV-2 entry. The biosynthesis of heparan sulfate (HS), chondroitin sulfate (CS), dermatan sulfate (DS), and heparin (Hep) is initiated not only by D-xylose derived from uridine diphosphate (UDP)-xylose, but also bioactive D-xylose molecules, even in situations where cells were previously treated with GAG inhibitors. This property of D-xylose shown by previous anterior studies helped in the explanation of the mechanism leading to type 2 diabetes during SARS-CoV-2 infection. This explanation is completed here by a preliminary estimation of xyloside GAGs (HS/CS/DS/Hep) in the body, and with other previous studies helping to corroborate the mechanism by which the D-xylose exhibits its antiglycaemic properties and the mechanism leading to type 2 diabetes during SARS-CoV-2 infection. This paper also discusses the confirmatory studies of regarding the correlation between D-xylose and COVID-19 severity.

Cell Surface Glycosaminoglycans as Receptors for Adhesion of Candida spp. to Corneal Cells

The most common causal agents of fungal keratitis are yeasts of the Candida genus. Adhesion constitutes the first stage of pathogenesis. Previous studies have shown that glycosaminoglycans from the corneal cell surface play an essential role in bacterial keratitis, although little is known about their role in fungal infections. The objective of this work is to analyze the role that glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) play in the adhesion of fungi of the Candida genus to corneal epithelial cells. The participation of GAGs in the adhesion of fungi was studied through the specific inhibition of the synthesis of these molecules by enzymatic digestion using specific lyases and the silencing of various genes involved in heparan sulfate sulfation. The results seem to indicate that glycosaminoglycans act to some extent as receptors for this fungus, although there are differences between fungal species. Treatment with inhibitors partially reduced the adherence of fungal species. Digestion of cell surface heparan sulfate further reduced the adherence of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata compared to chondroitin sulfate, indicating that the binding is preferentially mediated by heparan sulfate. Degradation of both heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate produced similar effects on the adherence of Candida parapsilosis. However, adhesion of C. albicans hyphae is not dependent on GAGs, suggesting the expression of other adhesins and the recognition of other receptors present in corneal cells. Our results open the door to new strategies for stopping the adhesion of pathogenic fungi, and their subsequent invasion of the cornea; thus, reducing the probability of the keratitis development.

Syndecan-1 Promotes Streptococcus pneumoniae Corneal Infection by Facilitating the Assembly of Adhesive Fibronectin Fibrils

Subversion of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) is thought to be a common virulence mechanism shared by many microbial pathogens. The prevailing assumption is that pathogens co-opt HSPGs as cell surface attachment receptors or as inhibitors of innate host defense. However, there are few data that clearly support this idea in vivo We found that deletion of syndecan-1 (Sdc1), a major cell surface HSPG of epithelial cells, causes a gain of function in a mouse model of scarified corneal infection, where Sdc1^-/- corneas were significantly less susceptible to Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. Administration of excess Sdc1 ectodomains significantly inhibited S. pneumoniae corneal infection, suggesting that Sdc1 promotes infection as a cell surface attachment receptor. However, S. pneumoniae did not interact with Sdc1 and Sdc1 was shed upon S. pneumoniae infection, indicating that Sdc1 does not directly support S. pneumoniae adhesion. Instead, Sdc1 promoted S. pneumoniae adhesion by driving the assembly of fibronectin (FN) fibrils in the corneal basement membrane to which S. pneumoniae attaches when infecting injured corneas. S. pneumoniae specifically bound to corneal FN via PavA, and PavA deletion significantly attenuated S. pneumoniae virulence in the cornea. Excess Sdc1 ectodomains inhibited S. pneumoniae corneal infection by binding to the Hep II domain and interfering with S. pneumoniae PavA binding to FN. These findings reveal a previously unknown virulence mechanism of S. pneumoniae where key extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions and structures that are essential for host cell homeostasis are exploited for bacterial pathogenesis.IMPORTANCE Bacterial pathogens have evolved several ingenious mechanisms to subvert host cell biology for their pathogenesis. Bacterial attachment to the host ECM establishes a niche to grow and is considered one of the critical steps of infection. This pathogenic mechanism entails coordinated assembly of the ECM by the host to form the ECM structure and organization that are specifically recognized by bacteria for their adhesion. We serendipitously discovered that epithelial Sdc1 facilitates the assembly of FN fibrils in the corneal basement membrane and that this normal biological function of Sdc1 has detrimental consequences for the host in S. pneumoniae corneal infection. Our studies suggest that bacterial subversion of the host ECM is more complex than previously appreciated.

Extracellular matrix remodelling in COPD

The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the lung plays several important roles in lung function, as it offers a low resistant pathway that allows the exchange of gases, provides compressive strength and elasticity that supports the fragile alveolar-capillary intersection, controls the binding of cells with growth factors and cell surface receptors and acts as a buffer against retention of water.COPD is a chronic inflammatory respiratory condition, characterised by various conditions that result in progressive airflow limitation. At any stage in the course of the disease, acute exacerbations of COPD may occur and lead to accelerated deterioration of pulmonary function. A key factor of COPD is airway remodelling, which refers to the serious alterations of the ECM affecting airway wall thickness, resistance and elasticity. Various studies have shown that serum biomarkers of ECM turnover are significantly associated with disease severity in patients with COPD and may serve as potential targets to control airway inflammation and remodelling in COPD. Unravelling the complete molecular composition of the ECM in the diseased lungs will help to identify novel biomarkers for disease progression and therapy.

Widespread use of Lactobacillus OppA, a surface located protein, as an adhesin that recognises epithelial cell surface glycosaminoglycans

Specific adherence is the first requisite that a microorganism has to fulfil to become established onto a mucosal surface. It was previously shown that the OppA surface protein of Lactobacillus salivarius Lv72 bound HeLa cell cultures through interaction with glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). To determine whether this is a peculiarity of that strain or whether it can be extended to other lactobacilli, 12 strains, belonging to six species, were confronted with HeLa-cell cultures in the presence of soluble GAGs. Interference was observed to six of them, heparan sulphate and chondroitin sulphate C being more interfering than chondroitin sulphate A or chondroitin sulphate B. Furthermore, inhibition of the biosynthesis of GAGs or their elimination from the cell surface with specific enzymes also resulted in reduced adherence. Analysis of the surface proteome of Lactobacillus crispatus Lv25 and of Lactobacillus reuteri RC14 revealed single proteins that immunoreacted with antibodies raised against OppA, the main adhesin of L. salivarius Lv72. Upon MALDI-TOF-TOF analysis, they were identified as OppA-like proteins, thus indicating that these proteins participate as adhesins in attachment of diverse lactobacilli to the surface of human epithelial cells.

Glycan-metabolizing enzymes in microbe-host interactions: the Streptococcus pneumoniae paradigm

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a frequent colonizer of the upper airways; however, it is also an accomplished pathogen capable of causing life-threatening diseases. To colonize and cause invasive disease, this bacterium relies on a complex array of factors to mediate the host-bacterium interaction. The respiratory tract is rich in functionally important glycoconjugates that display a vast range of glycans, and, thus, a key component of the pneumococcus-host interaction involves an arsenal of bacterial carbohydrate-active enzymes to depolymerize these glycans and carbohydrate transporters to import the products. Through the destruction of host glycans, the glycan-specific metabolic machinery deployed by S. pneumoniae plays a variety of roles in the host-pathogen interaction. Here, we review the processing and metabolism of the major host-derived glycans, including N- and O-linked glycans, Lewis and blood group antigens, proteoglycans, and glycogen, as well as some dietary glycans. We discuss the role of these metabolic pathways in the S. pneumoniae-host interaction, speculate on the potential of key enzymes within these pathways as therapeutic targets, and relate S. pneumoniae as a model system to glycan processing in other microbial pathogens.

Zinc metalloproteinase ZmpC suppresses experimental pneumococcal meningitis by inhibiting bacterial invasion of central nervous systems

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis. Here, we investigated whether pneumococcal paralogous zinc metalloproteases contribute to meningitis onset. Findings of codon-based phylogenetic analyses indicated 3 major clusters in the Zmp family; ZmpA, ZmpC, and ZmpB, with ZmpD as a subgroup. In vitro invasion assays of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs) showed that deletion of the zmpC gene in S. pneumoniae strain TIGR4 significantly increased bacterial invasion into hBMECs, whereas deletion of either zmpA or zmpB had no effect. In a mouse meningitis model, the zmpC deletion mutant exhibited increased invasion of the brain and was associated with increased matrix metalloproteinase-9 in plasma and mortality as compared with the wild type. We concluded that ZmpC suppresses pneumococcal virulence by inhibiting bacterial invasion of the central nervous system. Furthermore, ZmpC illustrates the evolutional theory stating that gene duplication leads to acquisition of novel function to suppress excessive mortality.

Glycosaminoglycans are involved in bacterial adherence to lung cells

Background

Lower respiratory infections are among the top ten causes of death worldwide. Since pathogen to cell adhesion is a crucial step in the infection progress, blocking the interaction between eukaryotic receptors and bacterial ligands may enable the pathogenesis process to be stopped. Cell surface glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are known to be mediators in the adhesion of diverse bacteria to different cell types, making it of interest to examine their involvement in the attachment of various pathogenic bacteria to lung cells, including epithelial cells and fibroblasts.

Methods

The function of cell surface GAGs in bacterial adhesion was studied by reducing their levels through inhibiting their biosynthesis and enzymatic degradation, as well as in binding competition experiments with various species of GAGs. The participation of the different bacterial adhesins in attachment was evaluated through competition with two peptides, both containing consensus heparin binding sequences. Blocking inhibition assays using anti-syndecans and the enzymatic removal of glypicans were conducted to test their involvement in bacterial adhesion. The importance of the fine structure of GAGs in the interaction with pathogens was investigated in competition experiments with specifically desulfated heparins.

Results

The binding of all bacteria tested decreased when GAG levels in cell surface of both lung cells were diminished. Competition experiments with different types of GAGs showed that heparan sulfate chains are the main species involved. Blocking or removal of cell surface proteoglycans evidenced that syndecans play a more important role than glypicans. The binding was partially inhibited by peptides including heparin binding sequences. Desulfated heparins also reduced bacterial adhesion to different extents depending on the bacterium and the sulfated residue, especially in fibroblast cells.

Conclusions

Taken together, these data demonstrate that the GAG chains of the cell surface are involved in the adhesion of bacterial adhesins to lung cells. Heparan sulfate seems to be the main species implicated, and binding is dependent on the sulfation pattern of the molecule. These data could facilitate the development of new anti-infective strategies, enabling the development of new procedures for blocking the interaction between pathogens and lung cells more effectively.

PRELP Enhances Host Innate Immunity against the Respiratory Tract Pathogen Moraxella catarrhalis

Respiratory tract infections are one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide urging better understanding of interactions between pathogens causing these infections and the host. Here we report that an extracellular matrix component proline/arginine-rich end leucine-rich repeat protein (PRELP) is a novel antibacterial component of innate immunity. We detected the presence of PRELP in human bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and showed that PRELP can be found in alveolar fluid, resident macrophages/monocytes, myofibroblasts, and the adventitia of blood vessels in lung tissue. PRELP specifically binds respiratory tract pathogens Moraxella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, but not other bacterial pathogens tested. We focused our study on M. catarrhalis and found that PRELP binds the majority of clinical isolates of M. catarrhalis (n = 49) through interaction with the ubiquitous surface protein A2/A2H. M. catarrhalis usually resists complement-mediated serum killing by recruiting to its surface a complement inhibitor C4b-binding protein, which is also a ligand for PRELP. We found that PRELP competitively inhibits binding of C4b-binding protein to bacteria, which enhances membrane attack complex formation on M. catarrhalis and thus leads to increased serum sensitivity. Furthermore, PRELP enhances phagocytic killing of serum-opsonized M. catarrhalis by human neutrophils in vitro. Moreover, PRELP reduces Moraxella adherence to and invasion of human lung epithelial A549 cells. Taken together, PRELP enhances host innate immunity against M. catarrhalis through increasing complement-mediated attack, improving phagocytic killing activity of neutrophils, and preventing bacterial adherence to lung epithelial cells.

Cellulose nanocrystals are effective in inhibiting host cell bacterial adhesion

The use of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as a biomaterial able to inhibit host cell bacterial adhesion is described. Pre-incubation ofE. coliwith a suspension of CNCs affords a significant reduction of bacterial adhesion to intestinal cell monolayer HT29, without exerting a bactericidal effect.

Different Use of Cell Surface Glycosaminoglycans As Adherence Receptors to Corneal Cells by Gram Positive and Gram Negative Pathogens

The epithelium of the cornea is continuously exposed to pathogens, and adhesion to epithelial cells is regarded as an essential first step in bacterial pathogenesis. In this article, the involvement of glycosaminoglycans in the adhesion of various pathogenic bacteria to corneal epithelial cells is analyzed. All microorganisms use glycosaminoglycans as receptors, but arranged in different patterns depending on the Gram-type of the bacterium. The heparan sulfate chains of syndecans are the main receptors, though other molecular species also seem to be involved, particularly in Gram-negative bacteria. Adherence is inhibited differentially by peptides, including heparin binding sequences, indicating the participation of various groups of Gram-positive, and -negative adhesins. The length of the saccharides produces a major effect, and low molecular weight chains inhibit the binding of Gram-negative microorganisms but increase the adherence of Gram-positives. Pathogen adhesion appears to occur preferentially through sulfated domains, and is very dependent on N- and 6-O-sulfation of the glucosamine residue and, to a lesser extent, 2-O sulfation of uronic acid. These data show the differential use of corneal receptors, which could facilitate the development of new anti-infective strategies.

Investigation of Streptococcus salivarius-mediated inhibition of pneumococcal adherence to pharyngeal epithelial cells

Background

Pneumococcal adherence to the nasopharyngeal epithelium is a critical step in colonisation and disease. The probiotic bacterium, Streptococcus salivarius, can inhibit pneumococcal adherence to epithelial cells in vitro. We investigated the mechanism(s) of inhibition using a human pharyngeal epithelial cell line (Detroit 562) following pre-administration of two different strains of S. salivarius.

Results

Whilst the bacteriocin-encoding megaplasmids of S. salivarius strains K12 and M18 were essential to prevent pneumococcal growth on solid media, they were not required to inhibit pneumococcal adherence. Experiments testing S. salivarius K12 and two pneumococcal isolates (serotypes 19F and 6A) showed that inhibition of 19F may involve S. salivarius-mediated blocking of pneumococcal binding sites: a negative correlation was observed between adherence of K12 and 19F, and no inhibition occurred when K12 was prevented from contacting epithelial cells. K12-mediated inhibition of adherence by 6A may involve additional mechanisms, since no correlation was observed between adherence of K12 and 6A, and K12 could inhibit 6A adherence in the absence of cell contact.

Conclusions

These results suggest that S. salivarius employs several mechanisms, including blocking pneumococcal binding sites, to reduce pneumococcal adherence to pharyngeal epithelial cells. These findings extend our understanding of how probiotics may inhibit pneumococcal adherence and could assist with the development of novel strategies to prevent pneumococcal colonisation in the future.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12866-016-0843-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Surface Proteoglycans as Mediators in Bacterial Pathogens Infections

Infectious diseases remain an important global health problem. The interaction of a wide range of pathogen bacteria with host cells from many different tissues is frequently mediated by proteoglycans. These compounds are ubiquitous complex molecules which are not only involved in adherence and colonization, but can also participate in other steps of pathogenesis. To overcome the problem of microbial resistance to antibiotics new therapeutic agents could be developed based on the characteristics of the interaction of pathogens with proteoglycans.

Heparan sulfate phage display antibodies recognise epitopes defined by a combination of sugar sequence and cation binding

Phage display antibodies are widely used to follow heparan sulfate (HS) expression in tissues and cells. We demonstrate by ELISA, that cations alter phage display antibody binding profiles to HS and this is mediated by changes in polysaccharide conformation, demonstrated by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Native HS structures, expressed on the cell surfaces of neuroblastoma and fibroblast cells, also exhibited altered antibody binding profiles following exposure to low mM concentrations of these cations. Phage display antibodies recognise conformationally-defined HS epitopes, rather than sequence alone, as has been assumed, and resemble proteins in being sensitive to changes in both charge distribution and conformation following binding of cations to HS polysaccharides.

Serum Syndecan-4 as a Possible Biomarker in Patients With Acute Pneumonia

BACKGROUND

Syndecan-4 is a transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan expressed in a variety of cells, and glycosaminoglycan side chains of syndecan-4 bind to several proteins, suggesting several biological functions. However, the role of syndecan-4 in acute bacterial pneumonia has not yet been elucidated.

METHODS

Serum syndecan-4 levels were measured in patients with acute pneumonia, and the relationships between serum syndecan-4 levels and clinical parameters were analyzed. Next, we treated wild-type and syndecan-4-deficient mice with Streptococcus pneumoniae intranasally and analyzed the phenotype of syndecan-4-deficient mice.

RESULTS

In the patients with acute pneumonia, serum syndecan-4 levels were significantly higher than in the healthy volunteers and correlated negatively with the pneumonia severity score. In addition, in patients who improved with short-term antibiotic therapy, serum syndecan-4 levels were higher on admission and gradually increased during antibiotic therapy. Furthermore, in syndecan-4-deficient mice, the survival rate was significantly worse, and total neutrophil counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, bacterial counts in blood, and plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines were significantly higher than in wild-type mice.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that syndecan-4 has an anti-inflammatory function in acute pneumonia and could serve as a useful biomarker in these patients.

Investigating the effects of probiotics on pneumococcal colonization using an in vitro adherence assay

Adherence of Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) to the epithelial lining of the nasopharynx can result in colonization and is considered a prerequisite for pneumococcal infections such as pneumonia and otitis media. In vitro adherence assays can be used to study the attachment of pneumococci to epithelial cell monolayers and to investigate potential interventions, such as the use of probiotics, to inhibit pneumococcal colonization. The protocol described here is used to investigate the effects of the probiotic Streptococcus salivarius on the adherence of pneumococci to the human epithelial cell line CCL-23 (sometimes referred to as HEp-2 cells). The assay involves three main steps: 1) preparation of epithelial and bacterial cells, 2) addition of bacteria to epithelial cell monolayers, and 3) detection of adherent pneumococci by viable counts (serial dilution and plating) or quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). This technique is relatively straightforward and does not require specialized equipment other than a tissue culture setup. The assay can be used to test other probiotic species and/or potential inhibitors of pneumococcal colonization and can be easily modified to address other scientific questions regarding pneumococcal adherence and invasion.

Carbohydrate availability regulates virulence gene expression in Streptococcus suis

Streptococcus suis is a major bacterial pathogen of young pigs causing worldwide economic problems for the pig industry. S. suis is also an emerging pathogen of humans. Colonization of porcine oropharynx by S. suis is considered to be a high risk factor for invasive disease. In the oropharyngeal cavity, where glucose is rapidly absorbed but dietary α-glucans persist, there is a profound effect of carbohydrate availability on the expression of virulence genes. Nineteen predicted or confirmed S. suis virulence genes that promote adhesion to and invasion of epithelial cells were expressed at higher levels when S. suis was supplied with the α-glucan starch/pullulan compared to glucose as the single carbon source. Additionally the production of suilysin, a toxin that damages epithelial cells, was increased more than ten-fold when glucose levels were low and S. suis was growing on pullulan. Based on biochemical, bioinformatics and in vitro and in vivo gene expression studies, we developed a biological model that postulates the effect of carbon catabolite repression on expression of virulence genes in the mucosa, organs and blood. This research increases our understanding of S. suis virulence mechanisms and has important implications for the design of future control strategies including the development of anti-infective strategies by modulating animal feed composition.

Surface glycosaminoglycans mediate adherence between HeLa cells and Lactobacillus salivarius Lv72

Background

The adhesion of lactobacilli to the vaginal surface is of paramount importance to develop their probiotic functions. For this reason, the role of HeLa cell surface proteoglycans in the attachment of Lactobacillus salivarius Lv72, a mutualistic strain of vaginal origin, was investigated.

Results

Incubation of cultures with a variety of glycosaminoglycans (chondroitin sulfate A and C, heparin and heparan sulfate) resulted in marked binding interference. However, no single glycosaminoglycan was able to completely abolish cell binding, the sum of all having an additive effect that suggests cooperation between them and recognition of specific adhesins on the bacterial surface. In contrast, chondroitin sulfate B enhanced cell to cell attachment, showing the relevance of the stereochemistry of the uronic acid and the sulfation pattern on binding. Elimination of the HeLa surface glycosaminoglycans with lyases also resulted in severe adherence impairment. Advantage was taken of the Lactobacillus-glycosaminoglycans interaction to identify an adhesin from the bacterial surface. This protein, identify as a soluble binding protein of an ABC transporter system (OppA) by MALDI-TOF/(MS), was overproduced in Escherichia coli, purified and shown to interfere with L. salivarius Lv72 adhesion to HeLa cells.

Conclusions

These data suggest that glycosaminoglycans play a fundamental role in attachment of mutualistic bacteria to the epithelium that lines the cavities where the normal microbiota thrives, OppA being a bacterial adhesin involved in the process.

Inhibition of Streptococcus pneumoniae adherence to human epithelial cells in vitro by the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG

Background

Colonization of the nasopharynx by Streptococcus pneumoniae is considered a prerequisite for pneumococcal infections such as pneumonia and otitis media. Probiotic bacteria can influence disease outcomes through various mechanisms, including inhibition of pathogen colonization. Here, we examine the effect of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) on S. pneumoniae colonization of human epithelial cells using an in vitro model. We investigated the effects of LGG administered before, at the same time as, or after the addition of S. pneumoniae on the adherence of four pneumococcal isolates.

Results

LGG significantly inhibited the adherence of all the pneumococcal isolates tested. The magnitude of inhibition varied with LGG dose, time of administration, and the pneumococcal isolate used. Inhibition was most effective when a higher dose of LGG was administered prior to establishment of pneumococcal colonization. Mechanistic studies showed that LGG binds to epithelial cells but does not affect pneumococcal growth or viability. Administration of LGG did not lead to any significant changes in host cytokine responses.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate that LGG can inhibit pneumococcal colonization of human epithelial cells in vitro and suggest that probiotics could be used clinically to prevent the establishment of pneumococcal carriage.

Molecular mechanism by which surface antigen HP0197 mediates host cell attachment in the pathogenic bacteria Streptococcus suis

Streptococcus suis, one of the most important and prevalent pathogens in swine, presents a major challenge to global public health. HP0197 is an S. suis surface antigen that was previously identified by immunoproteomics and can bind to the host cell surface. Here, we investigated the interaction between HP0197 and the host cell surface glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) using indirect immunofluorescence and cell adhesion inhibition assays. In addition, we determined that a novel 18-kDa domain in the N-terminal region of HP0197 functions as the GAG-binding domain. We then solved the three-dimensional structures of the N-terminal 18-kDa and C-terminal G5 domains using x-ray crystallography. Based on this structural information, the GAG-binding sites in HP0197 were predicted and subsequently verified using site-directed mutagenesis and indirect immunofluorescence. The results indicate that the positively charged residues on the exposed surface of the 18-kDa domain, which are primarily lysines, likely play a critical role in the HP0197-heparin interaction that mediates bacterium-host cell adhesion. Understanding this molecular mechanism may provide a basis for the development of effective drugs and therapeutic strategies for treating streptococcal infections.

Impact of pneumococcal microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules on colonization

Microorganisms have evolved elaborate strategies to adhere to host cells and to evade the host complement and immune attack, ensuring survival in various host niches and dissemination into sterile parts of the human body. Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is not only a commensal of the human respiratory tract but also the etiological agent of severe and life-threatening diseases. Pneumococcal attachment to mucosal surfaces is a highly dynamic process requiring the contact of pneumococcal surface-exposed proteins with soluble or immobilized host factors. These avid interactions may trigger proteolytic cascades or result in engagement of cell surface receptors and intracellularly associated signaling machineries for subsequent uptake of pneumococci into host cells. In the present review, the intimate communication of S. pneumoniae molecules recognizing adhesive matrix molecules (microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules) with their host counterparts and their individual role in pneumococcal colonization is discussed.

Involvement of sulfated glycosaminoglycans on the development and attachment of Trypanosoma cruzi to the luminal midgut surface in the vector, Rhodnius prolixus

In the present study, we investigated the involvement of sulfated glycosaminoglycans in both the in vivo development and adhesion of T. cruzi epimastigotes to the luminal surface of the digestive tract of the insect vector, Rhodnius prolixus. Pre-incubation of T. cruzi, Dm 28c epimastigotes with heparin, chondroitin 4-sulfate, chondroitin 6-sulfate or protamine chloridrate inhibited in vitro attachment of parasites to the insect midgut. Enzymatic removal of heparan sulfate moieties by heparinase I or of chondroitin sulfate moieties by chondroitinase AC from the insect posterior midgut abolished epimastigote attachment in vitro. These treatments also reduced the labelling of anionic sites exposed at the luminal surface of the perimicrovillar membranes in the triatomine midgut epithelial cells. Inclusion of chondroitin 4-sulfate or chondroitin 6-sulfate and to a lesser extent, heparin, in the T. cruzi-infected bloodmeal inhibited the establishment of parasites in R. prolixus. These observations indicate that sulfated glycosaminoglycans are one of the determinants for both adhesion of the T. cruzi epimastigotes to the posterior midgut epithelial cells of the triatomine and the parasite infection in the insect vector, R. prolixus.

Glycosaminoglycan binding facilitates entry of a bacterial pathogen into central nervous systems

Certain microbes invade brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) to breach the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and establish central nervous system (CNS) infection. Here we use the leading meningitis pathogen group B Streptococcus (GBS) together with insect and mammalian infection models to probe a potential role of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) interactions in the pathogenesis of CNS entry. Site-directed mutagenesis of a GAG-binding domain of the surface GBS alpha C protein impeded GBS penetration of the Drosophila BBB in vivo and diminished GBS adherence to and invasion of human BMECs in vitro. Conversely, genetic impairment of GAG expression in flies or mice reduced GBS dissemination into the brain. These complementary approaches identify a role for bacterial-GAG interactions in the pathogenesis of CNS infection. Our results also highlight how the simpler yet genetically conserved Drosophila GAG pathways can provide a model organism to screen candidate molecules that can interrupt pathogen-GAG interactions for future therapeutic applications.

Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus, GBS) is a leading cause of meningitis in human newborn infants. The bacterial and host factors that allow this pathogen to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and cause central nervous system (CNS) infection are not well understood. Here we demonstrate that GBS expresses a specific protein on its surface that can bind to sugar molecules known as glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) on the surface of brain capillary cells, initiating infection of the BBB. Fruit flies or mice genetically engineered to have reduced GAGs showed decreased dissemination of GBS into the brain tissues following experimental infection. Our results identify a role for bacterial-GAG interactions in the pathogenesis of newborn meningitis and highlight how the simpler yet genetically conserved fruit fly GAG biosynthetic pathways make the fruit fly a good model organism to screen candidate molecules that can interrupt pathogen-GAG interactions for future therapeutic applications.

Structural determinants in streptococcal unsaturated glucuronyl hydrolase for recognition of glycosaminoglycan sulfate groups

Pathogenic Streptococcus agalactiae produces polysaccharide lyases and unsaturated glucuronyl hydrolase (UGL), which are prerequisite for complete degradation of mammalian extracellular matrices, including glycosaminoglycans such as chondroitin and hyaluronan. Unlike the Bacillus enzyme, streptococcal UGLs prefer sulfated glycosaminoglycans. Here, we show the loop flexibility for substrate binding and structural determinants for recognition of glycosaminoglycan sulfate groups in S. agalactiae UGL (SagUGL). UGL also degraded unsaturated heparin disaccharides; this indicates that the enzyme released unsaturated iduronic and glucuronic acids from substrates. We determined the crystal structures of SagUGL wild-type enzyme and both substrate-free and substrate-bound D175N mutants by x-ray crystallography and noted that the loop over the active cleft exhibits flexible motion for substrate binding. Several residues in the active cleft bind to the substrate, unsaturated chondroitin disaccharide with a sulfate group at the C-6 position of GalNAc residue. The sulfate group is hydrogen-bonded to Ser-365 and Ser-368 and close to Lys-370. As compared with wild-type enzyme, S365H, S368G, and K370I mutants exhibited higher Michaelis constants toward the substrate. The conversion of SagUGL to Bacillus sp. GL1 UGL-like enzyme via site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that Ser-365 and Lys-370 are essential for direct binding and for electrostatic interaction, respectively, for recognition of the sulfate group by SagUGL. Molecular conversion was also achieved in SagUGL Arg-236 with an affinity for the sulfate group at the C-4 position of the GalNAc residue. These residues binding to sulfate groups are frequently conserved in pathogenic bacterial UGLs, suggesting that the motif "R-//-SXX(S)XK" (where the hyphen and slash marks in the motif indicate the presence of over 100 residues in the enzyme and parentheses indicate that Ser-368 makes little contribution to enzyme activity) is crucial for degradation of sulfated glycosaminoglycans.

Development of a novel ex vivo model of corneal fungal adherence

PURPOSE

To construct a suitable ex vivo model for the research of molecular mechanisms and the pharmacological screening of fungal adherence on the corneal surface.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mouse eyes were divided into three groups as follows: a control group with normal corneal epithelium, a group with corneal epithelium that was needle-scarified, and a group with corneal epithelium that was completely debrided. All 96 corneas were placed in organ culture and inoculated with 5 μl spore suspensions of Candida albicans at 10⁹, 10⁸, or 10⁷ colony-forming units (CFU)/ml and incubated for 0, 30, 60, or 120 min. The corneas were homogenated and diluted for quantification by counting the CFU. The effects of amphotericin B or chondroitin sulfate on the adherence of the fungal spores were evaluated with the ex vivo organ culture model and were also compared with the human corneal epithelium monolayer model in vitro.

RESULTS

Compared with the normal corneas with intact epithelium, the corneas with scarified and debrided epithelium adhered more spores for above two and four folds. The spore adhesion on the corneal surface was in an inoculation concentration- and incubation time-dependent manner. Moreover, both amphotericin B and chondroitin sulfate inhibited the adhesion of C. albicans spores on the corneal surface, but the inhibitory rates were different between the ex vivo corneal organ culture model and the in vitro corneal epithelium monolayer model.

CONCLUSIONS

The corneal organ culture was a suitable ex vivo model for the research of fungal adhesion mechanisms and drug screening.

Conformational degeneracy restricts the effective information content of heparan sulfate

The linear, sulfated polysaccharide heparan sulfate occupies a pivotal position in intercellular signalling events, interacting with numerous proteins on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix. Its complex sequences suggest high potential information content but, despite extensive efforts, a clear relationship between its substitution pattern and biological activity remains elusive. This results from technical limitations, compounded by attempts to correlate substitution pattern directly with activity without considering other conformational factors. For a series of systematically modified analogues of heparan sulfate, the relationship between substitution pattern and experimental (13)C NMR chemical shifts, which act as reporters of the presence of conformational change, particularly around the glycosidic linkages, was explored through chemometric analysis. From analysis of the experimental data it was evident that wide linkage variation arose from O-sulfation in iduronate and N-sulfation in glucosamine residues but, their effects were distinct, while 6-O-sulfation had much less impact. Models of saccharide sequences showed that the maximum spread of variation in glycosidic linkages occurred before maximum sequence diversity and revealed a highly degenerate system: a fraction of possible sequences is sufficient to provide diverse backbone conformations to satisfy particular protein binding requirements. The unique information content potentially available in HS sequences, defined ultimately by conformation, is vastly inferior to the potential sequence diversity.

Surface-exposed histone-like protein a modulates adherence of Streptococcus gallolyticus to colon adenocarcinoma cells

Streptococcus gallolyticus (formerly known as Streptococcus bovis biotype I) is a low-grade opportunistic pathogen which is considered to be associated with colon cancer. It is thought that colon polyps or tumors are the main portal of entry for this bacterium and that heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) at the colon tumor cell surface are involved in bacterial adherence during the first stages of infection. In this study, we have shown that the histone-like protein A (HlpA) of S. gallolyticus is a genuine anchorless bacterial surface protein that binds to lipoteichoic acid (LTA) of the gram-positive cell wall in a growth phase-dependent manner. In addition, HlpA was shown to be one of the major heparin-binding proteins of S. gallolyticus able to bind to the HSPG-expressing colon tumor cell lines HCT116 and HT-29. Strikingly, although wild-type levels of HlpA appeared to contribute to adherence, coating of additional HlpA at the bacterial surface resulted in reduced binding to colon tumor cells. This may be explained by the fact that heparan sulfate and LTA compete for the same binding site in HlpA. Altogether, this study implies that HlpA serves as a fine-tuning factor for bacterial adherence.

TLR4-mediated induction of TLR2 signaling is critical in the pathogenesis and resolution of otitis media

Otitis media is the most prevalent childhood disease in developed countries. The involvement of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in otitis media pathophysiology has been implicated by studies in cell lines and association studies of TLR gene polymorphisms. However, precise functions of TLRs in the etiology of otitis media in vivo have not been examined. We investigated the inflammatory response to nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae using a model of otitis media in wild-type, TLR2(- /-) and TLR4(-/ -) mice by gene microarray, qPCR, immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis and histopathology. Toll-like receptor-2(- /-) and TLR4(- /-) mice exhibited a more profound, persistent inflammation with impaired bacterial clearance compared to controls. While wild-type mice induced tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF) after non-typeable H. influenzae challenge, TLR2(-/-) and TLR4(-/-) mice lack TNF induction in the early phase of otitis media. Moreover, lack of TLR2 resulted in a late increase in IL-10 expression and prolonged failure to clear bacteria. Toll-like receptor-4(-/- ) mice showed impaired early bacterial clearance and loss of TLR2 induction in early otitis media. Our results demonstrate that both TLR2 and TLR4 signalling are critical to the regulation of infection in non-typeable H. influenzae-induced otitis media. Toll-like receptor-4 signalling appears to induce TLR2 expression, and TLR2 activation is critical for bacterial clearance and timely resolution of otitis media.

The 'sweet' and 'bitter' involvement of glycosaminoglycans in lung diseases: pharmacotherapeutic relevance

The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a significant role in the structure and function of the lung. The ECM is a three-dimensional fibre mesh, comprised of various interconnected and intercalated macromolecules, among which are the glycosaminoglycans (GAG). GAG are long, linear and highly charged, heterogeneous polysaccharides that are composed of a variable number of repeating disaccharide units (macromolecular sugars) and most of them, as their name implies, have a sweet taste. In the lung, GAG support the structure of the interstitium, the subepithelial tissue and the bronchial walls, and are secreted in the airway secretions. Besides maintaining lung tissue structure, GAG also play an important role in lung function as they regulate hydration and water homeostasis, modulate the inflammatory response and influence lung tissue repair and remodelling. However, depending on their size and/or degree of sulphation, and their immobilization or solubilization in the ECM, specific GAG in the lung either live up to their sweet taste/name, supporting normal lung physiology, or they are associated to 'bitter' effects, related to lung pathology. The present review discusses the biological role of GAG in the lung as well as the involvement of these molecules in various respiratory diseases. Given the great structural diversity of GAG, understanding the changes in GAG expression that occur in lung diseases may lead to novel targets for pharmacological intervention in order to prevent and/or to treat a range of lung diseases.

Novel interactions of glycosaminoglycans and bacterial glycolipids mediate binding of enterococci to human cells

Enterococcus faecalis is among the most important nosocomial pathogens. The intestinal mucosa is considered to be the main site used by these bacteria for entrance and dissemination. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved in colonization and invasion of enterococci may help to devise methods to prevent infections in hospitalized patients. Glycosaminoglycans, which are present on the surface of all eukaryotic cells, were investigated with regard to their role as host receptors for adhesion of E. faecalis. Competitive binding assays, enzymatic digestion, and reduction of the sulfation of the glycosaminoglycan chains indicated that heparin and heparan sulfate, but not chondroitin sulfate B, played important roles in adhesion of E. faecalis 12030 to Caco2 cells. By using proteinases and carbohydrate oxidation by sodium meta-periodate to modify the bacterial surface, it could be demonstrated that a sugar-containing molecule rather than a protein is the bacterial ligand mediating adhesion to eukaryotic cells. Preincubation of Caco2 cells with the enterococcal glycolipid diglucosyldiacylglycerol but not other carbohydrate cell wall components inhibited bacterial binding. These results may indicate that heparin and/or heparan sulfate on host epithelial cells and diglucosyldiacylglycerol, either itself or as a partial structure of lipoteichoic acid, are involved in enterococcal adhesion to colonic epithelia, the first step in translocation from the intestinal tract.

Oral keratinocytes support non-replicative infection and transfer of harbored HIV-1 to permissive cells

Background

Oral keratinocytes on the mucosal surface are frequently exposed to HIV-1 through contact with infected sexual partners or nursing mothers. To determine the plausibility that oral keratinocytes are primary targets of HIV-1, we tested the hypothesis that HIV-1 infects oral keratinocytes in a restricted manner.

Results

To study the fate of HIV-1, immortalized oral keratinocytes (OKF6/TERT-2; TERT-2 cells) were characterized for the fate of HIV-specific RNA and DNA. At 6 h post inoculation with X4 or R5-tropic HIV-1, HIV-1gag RNA was detected maximally within TERT-2 cells. Reverse transcriptase activity in TERT-2 cells was confirmed by VSV-G-mediated infection with HIV-NL4-3Δenv-EGFP. AZT inhibited EGFP expression in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that viral replication can be supported if receptors are bypassed. Within 3 h post inoculation, integrated HIV-1 DNA was detected in TERT-2 cell nuclei and persisted after subculture. Multiply spliced and unspliced HIV-1 mRNAs were not detectable up to 72 h post inoculation, suggesting that HIV replication may abort and that infection is non-productive. Within 48 h post inoculation, however, virus harbored by CD4 negative TERT-2 cells trans infected co-cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or MOLT4 cells (CD4+ CCR5+) by direct cell-to-cell transfer or by releasing low levels of infectious virions. Primary tonsil epithelial cells also trans infected HIV-1 to permissive cells in a donor-specific manner.

Conclusion

Oral keratinocytes appear, therefore, to support stable non-replicative integration, while harboring and transmitting infectious X4- or R5-tropic HIV-1 to permissive cells for up to 48 h.

Trypanosoma cruzi heparin-binding proteins and the nature of the host cell heparan sulfate-binding domain

Trypanosoma cruzi invasion is mediated by receptor-ligand recognition between the surfaces of both parasite and target cell. We have previously demonstrated the role of heparan sulfate proteoglycan in the attachment and invasion of T. cruzi in cardiomyocytes. Herein, we have isolated the T. cruzi heparin-binding proteins (HBP-Tc) and investigated the nature of cardiomyocyte heparan sulfate (HS)-binding site to the parasite surface ligand. Two major heparin-binding proteins with molecular masses of 65.8 and 59 kDa were observed in total extract of amastigote and trypomastigote forms of T. cruzi. Hydrophobic [S(35)]methionine labeled proteins eluted from heparin-sepharose affinity chromatography also revealed both proteins in trypomastigotes but only the 59 kDa is strongly recognized by biotin-conjugated glycosaminoglycans. Competition assays were performed to analyze the role of sulfated proteoglycans, including heparin, keratan sulfate and both acetylated and highly sulfated domains of heparan sulfate, in the recognition and invasion process of T. cruzi. Significant inhibitions of 84% and 35% in the percentage of infection were revealed after treatment of the parasites with heparin and the N-acetylated/ N-sulfated heparan sulfate domain, respectively, suggesting the important role of the glycuronic acid and NS glucosamine domain of the HS chain in the recognition of the HBP-Tc during the T. cruzi-cardiomyocyte interaction.

Factor H binding to PspC of Streptococcus pneumoniae increases adherence to human cell lines in vitro and enhances invasion of mouse lungs in vivo

Pneumococcal surface protein C (PspC) binds to both human secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and complement factor H (FH). FH, a regulator of the alternative pathway of complement, can also mediate adherence of different host cells. Since PspC contributes to adherence and invasion of host cells, we hypothesized that the interaction of PspC with FH may also mediate adherence of pneumococci to human cells. In this study, we investigated FH- and sIgA-mediated pneumococcal adherence to human cell lines in vitro. Adherence assays demonstrated that preincubation of Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 with FH increased adherence to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) 5-fold and to lung epithelial cells (SK-MES-1) 18-fold, relative to that of D39 without FH on the surface. The presence of sIgA enhanced adherence to SK-MES-1 6-fold and to pharyngeal epithelial cells (Detroit 562) 14-fold. Furthermore, sIgA had an additive effect on adherence to HUVEC; specifically, preincubation of D39 with both FH and sIgA led to a 21-fold increase in adherence. Finally, using a mouse model, we examined the significance of the FH-PspC interaction in pneumococcal nasal colonization and lung invasion. Mice intranasally infected with D39 preincubated with FH had increased bacteremia and lung invasion, but they had similar levels of nasopharyngeal colonization compared to that of mice challenged with D39 without FH.

Expression, processing, and glycosaminoglycan binding activity of the recombinant human 315-kDa hyaluronic acid receptor for endocytosis (HARE)

The hyaluronic acid (HA) receptor for endocytosis (HARE; also designated stabilin-2 and FEEL-2) mediates systemic clearance of glycosaminoglycans from the circulatory and lymphatic systems via coated pit-mediated uptake. HARE is primarily found as two isoforms (315- and 190-kDa) in sinusoidal endothelial cells of the liver, lymph node, and spleen. Here we characterize the ligand specificity and function of the large stably expressed 315-HARE isoform in Flp-In 293 cell lines. Like human spleen sinusoidal endothelial cells, Flp-In 293 cell lines transfected with a single cDNA encoding the full-length 315-HARE express both the 315-kDa and the proteolytically truncated 190-kDa isoforms in a ratio of approximately 3-4:1. The 190-kDa HARE isoform generated from the 315-kDa HARE and the 315-kDa HARE specifically bound 125I-HA. Like the 190-kDa HARE expressed alone (Harris, E. N., Weigel, J. A., and Weigel, P. H. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 36201-36209), the 190- and 315-kDa HARE isoforms expressed in 315-HARE cell lines were recognized by anti-HARE monoclonal antibodies 30, 154, and 159. All 315-HARE cell lines could endocytose and degrade 125I-HA. Competition studies with live cells indicate that 190-HARE and 315-HARE bind HA with higher apparent affinity (Kd approximately 10-20 nM) than chondroitin sulfate (CS) types A, C, D, or E. Only slight competition of HA endocytosis was observed with CS-B (dermatan sulfate) and chondroitin. Direct binding assays with the 315-HARE ectodomain revealed high affinity HA binding, and lower binding affinities for CS-C, CS-D, and CS-E. A majority of each HARE isoform was intracellular, within the endocytic system, suggesting transient surface residency typical of an active endocytic recycling receptor.