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Holbert S, Barilleau E, Yan J, Trotereau J, Koczerka M, Charton M, Le Vern Y, Pichon J, Grassl GA, Velge P, Wiedemann A. The Salmonella virulence protein PagN contributes to the advent of a hyper-replicating cytosolic bacterial population. Virulence 2024; 15:2357670. [PMID: 38804638 PMCID: PMC11135831 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2357670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhimurium is an intracellular pathogen that invades and colonizes the intestinal epithelium. Following bacterial invasion, Salmonella is enclosed within a membrane-bound vacuole known as a Salmonella-containing vacuole (SCV). However, a subset of Salmonella has the capability to prematurely rupture the SCV and escape, resulting in Salmonella hyper-replication within the cytosol of epithelial cells. A recently published RNA-seq study provides an overview of cytosolic and vacuolar upregulated genes and highlights pagN vacuolar upregulation. Here, using transcription kinetics, protein production profile, and immunofluorescence microscopy, we showed that PagN is exclusively produced by Salmonella in SCV. Gentamicin protection and chloroquine resistance assays were performed to demonstrate that deletion of pagN affects Salmonella replication by affecting the cytosolic bacterial population. This study presents the first example of a Salmonella virulence factor expressed within the endocytic compartment, which has a significant impact on the dynamics of Salmonella cytosolic hyper-replication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jin Yan
- IRSD - Institut de Recherche en Santé Digestive, ENVT, INRAE, INSERM, Université́ de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse, France
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, China
- Research Center of Digestive Disease, Central South University, China
| | | | | | - Mégane Charton
- INRAE, Université de Tours, ISP, Nouzilly, France
- Service biologie vétérinaire et santé animale, Inovalys, Angers, France
| | - Yves Le Vern
- INRAE, Université de Tours, ISP, Nouzilly, France
| | | | - Guntram A. Grassl
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Hannover Medical School and German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Agnès Wiedemann
- INRAE, Université de Tours, ISP, Nouzilly, France
- IRSD - Institut de Recherche en Santé Digestive, ENVT, INRAE, INSERM, Université́ de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse, France
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2
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Benucci B, Spinello Z, Calvaresi V, Viviani V, Perrotta A, Faleri A, Utrio Lanfaloni S, Pansegrau W, d’Alterio L, Bartolini E, Pinzuti I, Sampieri K, Giordano A, Rappuoli R, Pizza M, Masignani V, Norais N, Maione D, Merola M. Neisserial adhesin A (NadA) binds human Siglec-5 and Siglec-14 with high affinity and promotes bacterial adhesion/invasion. mBio 2024; 15:e0110724. [PMID: 39041817 PMCID: PMC11323535 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01107-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Neisserial adhesin A (NadA) is a meningococcal surface protein included as recombinant antigen in 4CMenB, a protein-based vaccine able to induce protective immune responses against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB). Although NadA is involved in the adhesion/invasion of epithelial cells and human myeloid cells, its function in meningococcal physiology is still poorly understood. To clarify the role played by NadA in the host-pathogen interaction, we sought to identify its cellular receptors. We screened a protein microarray encompassing 2,846 human and 297 mouse surface/secreted recombinant proteins using recombinant NadA as probe. Efficient NadA binding was revealed on the paired sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectins receptors 5 and 14 (Siglec-5 and Siglec-14), but not on Siglec-9 therein used as control. The interaction was confirmed by biochemical tools with the determination of the KD value in the order of nanomolar and the identification of the NadA binding site by hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled to mass spectrometry. The N-terminal domain of the Siglec-5 that recognizes the sialic acid was identified as the NadA binding domain. Intriguingly, exogenously added recombinant soluble Siglecs, including Siglec-9, were found to decorate N. meningitidis surface in a NadA-dependent manner. However, Siglec-5 and Siglec-14 transiently expressed in CHO-K1 cells endorsed NadA binding and increased N. meningitidis adhesion/invasion while Siglec-9 did not. Taken together, Siglec-5 and Siglec-14 satisfy all features of NadA receptors suggesting a possible role of NadA in the acute meningococcal infection.IMPORTANCEBacteria have developed several strategies for cell colonization and immune evasion. Knowledge of the host and pathogen factors involved in these mechanisms is crucial to build efficacious countermoves. Neisserial adhesin A (NadA) is a meningococcal surface protein included in the anti-meningococcus B vaccine 4CMenB, which mediates adhesion to and invasion of epithelial cells. Although NadA has been shown to bind to other cell types, like myeloid and endothelial cells, it still remains orphan of a defined host receptor. We have identified two strong NadA interactors, Siglec-5 and Siglec-14, which are mainly expressed on myeloid cells. This showcases that NadA is an additional and key player among the Neisseria meningitidis factors targeting immune cells. We thus provide novel insights on the strategies exploited by N. meningitidis during the infection process, which can progress to a severe illness and death.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Adhesins, Bacterial/metabolism
- Adhesins, Bacterial/genetics
- Bacterial Adhesion
- Antigens, CD/metabolism
- Antigens, CD/genetics
- Lectins/metabolism
- Lectins/genetics
- Lectins/immunology
- Animals
- Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic/metabolism
- Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic/genetics
- Host-Pathogen Interactions
- Protein Binding
- Mice
- CHO Cells
- Cricetulus
- Neisseria meningitidis/genetics
- Neisseria meningitidis/metabolism
- Neisseria meningitidis/immunology
- Recombinant Proteins/metabolism
- Recombinant Proteins/genetics
- Sialic Acid Binding Immunoglobulin-like Lectins/metabolism
- Sialic Acid Binding Immunoglobulin-like Lectins/genetics
- Epithelial Cells/microbiology
- Epithelial Cells/metabolism
- Epithelial Cells/immunology
- Meningococcal Infections/microbiology
- Meningococcal Infections/immunology
- Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism
- Receptors, Cell Surface/genetics
- Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B/genetics
- Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B/immunology
- Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Valeria Calvaresi
- GSK, Siena, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Marcello Merola
- GSK, Siena, Italy
- Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
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3
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Asad M, Hassan A, Wang W, Alonazi WB, Khan MS, Ogunyemi SO, Ibrahim M, Bin L. An integrated in silico approach for the identification of novel potential drug target and chimeric vaccine against Neisseria meningitides strain 331401 serogroup X by subtractive genomics and reverse vaccinology. Comput Biol Med 2024; 178:108738. [PMID: 38870724 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis, commonly known as the meningococcus, leads to substantial illness and death among children and young adults globally, revealing as either epidemic or sporadic meningitis and/or septicemia. In this study, we have designed a novel peptide-based chimeric vaccine candidate against the N. meningitidis strain 331,401 serogroup X. Through rigorous analysis of subtractive genomics, two essential cytoplasmic proteins, namely UPI000012E8E0(UDP-3-O-acyl-GlcNAc deacetylase) and UPI0000ECF4A9(UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase) emerged as potential drug targets. Additionally, using reverse vaccinology, the outer membrane protein UPI0001F4D537 (Membrane fusion protein MtrC) identified by subcellular localization and recognized for its known indispensable role in bacterial survival was identified as a novel chimeric vaccine target. Following a careful comparison of MHC-I, MHC-II, T-cell, and B-cell epitopes, three epitopes derived from UPI0001F4D537 were linked with three types of linkers-GGGS, EAAAK, and the essential PADRE-for vaccine construction. This resulted in eight distinct vaccine models (V1-V8). Among them V1 model was selected as the final vaccine construct. It exhibits exceptional immunogenicity, safety, and enhanced antigenicity, with 97.7 % of its residues in the Ramachandran plot's most favored region. Subsequently, the vaccine structure was docked with the TLR4/MD2 complex and six different HLA allele receptors using the HADDOCK server. The docking resulted in the lowest HADDOCK score of 39.3 ± 9.0 for TLR/MD2. Immune stimulation showed a strong immune response, including antibodies creation and the activation of B-cells, T Cytotoxic cells, T Helper cells, Natural Killer cells, and interleukins. Furthermore, the vaccine construct was successfully expressed in the Escherichia coli system by reverse transcription, optimization, and ligation in the pET-28a (+) vector for the expression study. The current study proposes V1 construct has the potential to elicit both cellular and humoral responses, crucial for the developing an epitope-based vaccine against N. meningitidis strain 331,401 serogroup X.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Asad
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Sahiwal Campus, Pakistan
| | - Ahmad Hassan
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Sahiwal Campus, Pakistan
| | - Weiyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Wadi B Alonazi
- Health Administration Department, College of Business Administration, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Solabomi Olaitan Ogunyemi
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Muhammad Ibrahim
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Sahiwal Campus, Pakistan.
| | - Li Bin
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
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4
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Dave N, Albiheyri RS, Wanford JJ, Green LR, Oldfield NJ, Turner DPJ, Martinez-Pomares L, Bayliss CD. Variable disruption of epithelial monolayers by Neisseria meningitidis carriage isolates of the hypervirulent MenW cc11 and MenY cc23 lineages. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169. [PMID: 36821361 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Colonization of mucosal tissues by Neisseria meningitidis requires adhesion mediated by the type IV pilus and multiple outer-membrane proteins. Penetration of the mucosa and invasion of epithelial cells are thought to contribute to host persistence and invasive disease. Using Calu-3 cell monolayers grown at an air-liquid interface, we examined adhesion, invasion and monolayer disruption by carriage isolates of two clonal complexes of N. meningitidis. Carriage isolates of both the serogroup Y cc23 and the hypervirulent serogroup W cc11 lineages exhibited high levels of cellular adhesion, and a variable disruption phenotype across independent isolates. Inactivation of the gene encoding the main pilus sub-unit in multiple cc11 isolates abrogated both adhesive capacity and ability to disrupt epithelial monolayers. Contrastingly, inactivation of the phase-variable opa or nadA genes reduced adhesion and invasion, but not disruption of monolayer integrity. Adherence of tissue-disruptive meningococci correlated with loss of staining for the tight junction protein, occludin. Intriguingly, in a pilus-negative strain background, we observed compensatory ON switching of opa genes, which facilitated continued adhesion. We conclude that disruption of epithelial monolayers occurs in multiple meningococcal lineages but can vary during carriage and is intimately linked to pilus-mediated adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neelam Dave
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Raed S Albiheyri
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Joseph J Wanford
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.,Present address: Department of Infectious Disease, King's College, London, UK
| | - Luke R Green
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.,Present address: Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Neil J Oldfield
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - David P J Turner
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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5
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Goldsmith JA, DiVenere AM, Maynard JA, McLellan JS. Structural basis for non-canonical integrin engagement by Bordetella adenylate cyclase toxin. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111196. [PMID: 35977491 PMCID: PMC9416875 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Integrins are ubiquitous cell-surface heterodimers that are exploited by pathogens and toxins, including leukotoxins that target β2 integrins on phagocytes. The Bordetella adenylate cyclase toxin (ACT) uses the αMβ2 integrin as a receptor, but the structural basis for integrin binding and neutralization by antibodies is poorly understood. Here, we use cryoelectron microscopy to determine a 2.7 Å resolution structure of an ACT fragment bound to αMβ2. This structure reveals that ACT interacts with the headpiece and calf-2 of the αM subunit in a non-canonical manner specific to bent, inactive αMβ2. Neutralizing antibody epitopes map to ACT residues involved in αM binding, providing the basis for antibody-mediated attachment inhibition. Furthermore, binding to αMβ2 positions the essential ACT acylation sites, which are conserved among toxins exported by type I secretion systems, at the cell membrane. These findings reveal a structural mechanism for integrin-mediated attachment and explain antibody-mediated neutralization of ACT intoxication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jory A Goldsmith
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Andrea M DiVenere
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Jennifer A Maynard
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Jason S McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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6
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Mikucki A, McCluskey NR, Kahler CM. The Host-Pathogen Interactions and Epicellular Lifestyle of Neisseria meningitidis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:862935. [PMID: 35531336 PMCID: PMC9072670 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.862935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is a gram-negative diplococcus and a transient commensal of the human nasopharynx. It shares and competes for this niche with a number of other Neisseria species including N. lactamica, N. cinerea and N. mucosa. Unlike these other members of the genus, N. meningitidis may become invasive, crossing the epithelium of the nasopharynx and entering the bloodstream, where it rapidly proliferates causing a syndrome known as Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD). IMD progresses rapidly to cause septic shock and meningitis and is often fatal despite aggressive antibiotic therapy. While many of the ways in which meningococci survive in the host environment have been well studied, recent insights into the interactions between N. meningitidis and the epithelial, serum, and endothelial environments have expanded our understanding of how IMD develops. This review seeks to incorporate recent work into the established model of pathogenesis. In particular, we focus on the competition that N. meningitidis faces in the nasopharynx from other Neisseria species, and how the genetic diversity of the meningococcus contributes to the wide range of inflammatory and pathogenic potentials observed among different lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- August Mikucki
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Nicolie R. McCluskey
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Telethon Kids Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Charlene M. Kahler
- Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- *Correspondence: Charlene M. Kahler,
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7
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Product review on the IMD serogroup B vaccine Bexsero®. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2022; 18:2020043. [PMID: 35192786 PMCID: PMC8986181 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2021.2020043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bexsero® is a multicomponent vaccine composed of four major proteins of Neisseria meningitidis: the fHbp, NHBA, NadA and PorA. This vaccine was licensed against invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) due to serogroup B isolates. When administered alone, Bexsero® showed a safety profile similar to other childhood vaccines. It provides an excellent immunogenicity but that requires booster doses in infants and young children. Although the vaccine does not seem to impact on acquisition of carriage of serogroup B isolates, it confers protection against isolates of serogroup B harboring distinct but cross-reactive variants of fHbp, NadA and NHBA. Primary vaccination schemes in infancy underwent a rapid increase after a toddler booster suggesting an anamnestic response and the establishment of a memory response. As Bexsero® targets sub-capsular proteins that can be conserved regardless the capsule, the vaccine can be effective against non-B isolates such as isolates of serogroups W and X.
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8
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Herold R, Scholtysik R, Moroniak S, Weiss C, Ishikawa H, Schroten H, Schwerk C. Capsule-dependent impact of MAPK signalling on host cell invasion and immune response during infection of the choroid plexus epithelium by Neisseria meningitidis. Fluids Barriers CNS 2021; 18:53. [PMID: 34863201 PMCID: PMC8643193 DOI: 10.1186/s12987-021-00288-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Gram-negative bacterium Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) can cause meningitis in humans, but the host signalling pathways manipulated by Nm during central nervous system (CNS) entry are not completely understood. Methods We investigate the role of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) Erk1/2 and p38 in an in vitro model of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB) based on human epithelial choroid plexus (CP) papilloma (HIBCPP) cells during infection with Nm serogroup B (NmB) and serogroup C (NmC) strains. A transcriptome analysis of HIBCPP cells following infection with Nm by massive analysis of cDNA ends (MACE) was done to further characterize the cellular response to infection of the barrier. Results Interestingly, whereas NmB and NmC wild type strains required active Erk1/2 and p38 pathways for infection, invasion by capsule-deficient mutants was independent of Erk1/2 and, in case of the NmB strain, of p38 activity. The transcriptome analysis of HIBCPP cells following infection with Nm demonstrated specific regulation of genes involved in the immune response dependent on Erk1/2 signalling. Gene ontology (GO) analysis confirmed loss of MAPK signalling after Erk1/2 inhibition and revealed an additional reduction of cellular responses including NFκB and JAK-STAT signalling. Interestingly, GO terms related to TNF signalling and production of IL6 were lost specifically following Erk1/2 inhibition during infection with wild type Nm, which correlated with the reduced infection rates by the wild type in absence of Erk1/2 signalling. Conclusion Our data point towards a role of MAPK signalling during infection of the CP epithelium by Nm, which is strongly influenced by capsule expression, and affects infection rates as well as the host cell response. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12987-021-00288-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Herold
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - René Scholtysik
- Genomics & Transcriptomics Facility, Institute of Cell Biology, University Hospital Essen, Virchowstraße 173, 45122, Essen, Germany
| | - Selina Moroniak
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christel Weiss
- Department of Medical Statistics and Biomathematics, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Hiroshi Ishikawa
- Laboratory of Clinical Regenerative Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Horst Schroten
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christian Schwerk
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.
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9
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Abstract
Pathogen attachment to host tissue is critical in the progress of many infections. Bacteria use adhesion in vivo to stabilize colonization and subsequently regulate the deployment of contact-dependent virulence traits. To specifically target host cells, they decorate themselves with adhesins, proteins that bind to mammalian cell surface receptors. One common assumption is that adhesin-receptor interactions entirely govern bacterial attachment. However, how adhesins engage with their receptors in an in vivo-like context remains unclear, in particular under the influence of a heterogeneous mechanical microenvironment. We here investigate the biophysical processes governing bacterial adhesion to host cells using a tunable adhesin-receptor system. By dynamically visualizing attachment, we found that bacterial adhesion to host cell surface, unlike adhesion to inert surfaces, involves two consecutive steps. Bacteria initially attach to their host without engaging adhesins. This step lasts about 1 min, during which bacteria can easily detach. We found that at this stage, the glycocalyx, a layer of glycosylated proteins and lipids, shields the host cell by keeping adhesins away from their receptor ligand. In a second step, adhesins engage with their target receptors to strengthen attachment for minutes to hours. The active properties of the membrane, endowed by the actin cytoskeleton, strengthen specific adhesion. Altogether, our results demonstrate that adhesin-ligand binding is not the sole regulator of bacterial adhesion. In fact, the host cell’s surface mechanical microenvironment mediates the physical interactions between host and bacteria, thereby playing an essential role in the onset of infection.
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10
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Manipulation of Focal Adhesion Signaling by Pathogenic Microbes. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22031358. [PMID: 33572997 PMCID: PMC7866387 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Focal adhesions (FAs) serve as dynamic signaling hubs within the cell. They connect intracellular actin to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and respond to environmental cues. In doing so, these structures facilitate important processes such as cell-ECM adhesion and migration. Pathogenic microbes often modify the host cell actin cytoskeleton in their pursuit of an ideal replicative niche or during invasion to facilitate uptake. As actin-interfacing structures, FA dynamics are also intimately tied to actin cytoskeletal organization. Indeed, exploitation of FAs is another avenue by which pathogenic microbes ensure their uptake, survival and dissemination. This is often achieved through the secretion of effector proteins which target specific protein components within the FA. Molecular mimicry of the leucine-aspartic acid (LD) motif or vinculin-binding domains (VBDs) commonly found within FA proteins is a common microbial strategy. Other effectors may induce post-translational modifications to FA proteins through the regulation of phosphorylation sites or proteolytic cleavage. In this review, we present an overview of the regulatory mechanisms governing host cell FAs, and provide examples of how pathogenic microbes have evolved to co-opt them to their own advantage. Recent technological advances pose exciting opportunities for delving deeper into the mechanistic details by which pathogenic microbes modify FAs.
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11
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Thibau A, Dichter AA, Vaca DJ, Linke D, Goldman A, Kempf VAJ. Immunogenicity of trimeric autotransporter adhesins and their potential as vaccine targets. Med Microbiol Immunol 2020; 209:243-263. [PMID: 31788746 PMCID: PMC7247748 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-019-00649-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The current problem of increasing antibiotic resistance and the resurgence of numerous infections indicate the need for novel vaccination strategies more than ever. In vaccine development, the search for and the selection of adequate vaccine antigens is the first important step. In recent years, bacterial outer membrane proteins have become of major interest, as they are the main proteins interacting with the extracellular environment. Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) are important virulence factors in many Gram-negative bacteria, are localised on the bacterial surface, and mediate the first adherence to host cells in the course of infection. One example is the Neisseria adhesin A (NadA), which is currently used as a subunit in a licensed vaccine against Neisseria meningitidis. Other TAAs that seem promising vaccine candidates are the Acinetobacter trimeric autotransporter (Ata), the Haemophilus influenzae adhesin (Hia), and TAAs of the genus Bartonella. Here, we review the suitability of various TAAs as vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arno Thibau
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Alexander A. Dichter
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Diana J. Vaca
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Dirk Linke
- Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Adrian Goldman
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Volkhard A. J. Kempf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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12
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A simple and rapid pipeline for identification of receptor-binding sites on the surface proteins of pathogens. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1163. [PMID: 31980725 PMCID: PMC6981161 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58305-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Ligand-receptor interactions play a crucial role in the plethora of biological processes. Several methods have been established to reveal ligand-receptor interface, however, the majority of methods are time-consuming, laborious and expensive. Here we present a straightforward and simple pipeline to identify putative receptor-binding sites on the pathogen ligands. Two model ligands (bait proteins), domain III of protein E of West Nile virus and NadA of Neisseria meningitidis, were incubated with the proteins of human brain microvascular endothelial cells immobilized on nitrocellulose or PVDF membrane, the complex was trypsinized on-membrane, bound peptides of the bait proteins were recovered and detected on MALDI-TOF. Two peptides of DIII (~916 Da and ~2003 Da) and four peptides of NadA (~1453 Da, ~1810 Da, ~2051 Da and ~2433 Da) were identified as plausible receptor-binders. Further, binding of the identified peptides to the proteins of endothelial cells was corroborated using biotinylated synthetic analogues in ELISA and immunocytochemistry. Experimental pipeline presented here can be upscaled easily to map receptor-binding sites on several ligands simultaneously. The approach is rapid, cost-effective and less laborious. The proposed experimental pipeline could be a simpler alternative or complementary method to the existing techniques used to reveal amino-acids involved in the ligand-receptor interface.
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Virulence Factors of Meningitis-Causing Bacteria: Enabling Brain Entry across the Blood-Brain Barrier. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20215393. [PMID: 31671896 PMCID: PMC6862235 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20215393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are still a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Traversal of the barriers protecting the brain by pathogens is a prerequisite for the development of meningitis. Bacteria have developed a variety of different strategies to cross these barriers and reach the CNS. To this end, they use a variety of different virulence factors that enable them to attach to and traverse these barriers. These virulence factors mediate adhesion to and invasion into host cells, intracellular survival, induction of host cell signaling and inflammatory response, and affect barrier function. While some of these mechanisms differ, others are shared by multiple pathogens. Further understanding of these processes, with special emphasis on the difference between the blood-brain barrier and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, as well as virulence factors used by the pathogens, is still needed.
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14
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Weller RO, Sharp MM, Christodoulides M, Carare RO, Møllgård K. The meninges as barriers and facilitators for the movement of fluid, cells and pathogens related to the rodent and human CNS. Acta Neuropathol 2018; 135:363-385. [PMID: 29368214 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-018-1809-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Meninges that surround the CNS consist of an outer fibrous sheet of dura mater (pachymeninx) that is also the inner periosteum of the skull. Underlying the dura are the arachnoid and pia mater (leptomeninges) that form the boundaries of the subarachnoid space. In this review we (1) examine the development of leptomeninges and their role as barriers and facilitators in the foetal CNS. There are two separate CSF systems during early foetal life, inner CSF in the ventricles and outer CSF in the subarachnoid space. As the foramina of Magendi and Luschka develop, one continuous CSF system evolves. Due to the lack of arachnoid granulations during foetal life, it is most likely that CSF is eliminated by lymphatic drainage pathways passing through the cribriform plate and nasal submucosa. (2) We then review the fine structure of the adult human and rodent leptomeninges to establish their roles as barriers and facilitators for the movement of fluid, cells and pathogens. Leptomeningeal cells line CSF spaces, including arachnoid granulations and lymphatic drainage pathways, and separate elements of extracellular matrix from the CSF. The leptomeningeal lining facilitates the traffic of inflammatory cells within CSF but also allows attachment of bacteria such as Neisseria meningitidis and of tumour cells as CSF metastases. Single layers of leptomeningeal cells extend into the brain closely associated with the walls of arteries so that there are no perivascular spaces around arteries in the cerebral cortex. Perivascular spaces surrounding arteries in the white matter and basal ganglia relate to their two encompassing layers of leptomeninges. (3) Finally we examine the roles of ligands expressed by leptomeningeal cells for the attachment of inflammatory cells, bacteria and tumour cells as understanding these roles may aid the design of therapeutic strategies to manage developmental, autoimmune, infectious and neoplastic diseases relating to the CSF, the leptomeninges and the associated CNS.
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15
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Mubaiwa TD, Semchenko EA, Hartley-Tassell LE, Day CJ, Jennings MP, Seib KL. The sweet side of the pathogenic Neisseria: the role of glycan interactions in colonisation and disease. Pathog Dis 2017; 75:3867065. [PMID: 28633281 PMCID: PMC5808653 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftx063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycomics is a rapidly growing field that focuses on the structure and function of carbohydrates (glycans) in biological systems. Glycan interactions play a major role in infectious disease, at all stages of colonisation and disease progression. Neisseria meningitidis, the cause of meningococcal sepsis and meningitis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which causes the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea, are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Neisseria meningitidis displays a range of surface glycosylations including capsule polysaccharide, lipooligosaccharide and O-linked glycoproteins. While N. gonorrhoeae does not have a capsule, it does express both lipooligosaccharide and O-linked glycoproteins. Neisseria gonorrhoeae also has the ability to scavenge host sialic acids, while several N. meningitidis serogroups can synthesise sialic acid. Surface expressed sialic acid is key in serum resistance and survival in the host. On the host side, the pathogenic Neisseria protein adhesins such as Opc and NHBA bind to host glycans for adherence and colonisation of host cells. Essentially, from both the bacterial and host perspective, glycan interactions are fundamental in colonisation and disease of pathogenic Neisseria. The key aspects of glycobiology of the pathogenic Neisseria are reviewed herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsitsi D. Mubaiwa
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Evgeny A. Semchenko
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
| | | | - Christopher J. Day
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Michael P. Jennings
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Kate L. Seib
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
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16
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Tommassen J, Arenas J. Biological Functions of the Secretome of Neisseria meningitidis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:256. [PMID: 28670572 PMCID: PMC5472700 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that normally resides as a commensal in the human nasopharynx but occasionally causes disease with high mortality and morbidity. To interact with its environment, it transports many proteins across the outer membrane to the bacterial cell surface and into the extracellular medium for which it deploys the common and well-characterized autotransporter, two-partner and type I secretion mechanisms, as well as a recently discovered pathway for the surface exposure of lipoproteins. The surface-exposed and secreted proteins serve roles in host-pathogen interactions, including adhesion to host cells and extracellular matrix proteins, evasion of nutritional immunity imposed by iron-binding proteins of the host, prevention of complement activation, neutralization of antimicrobial peptides, degradation of immunoglobulins, and permeabilization of epithelial layers. Furthermore, they have roles in interbacterial interactions, including the formation and dispersal of biofilms and the suppression of the growth of bacteria competing for the same niche. Here, we will review the protein secretion systems of N. meningitidis and focus on the functions of the secreted proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Tommassen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht UniversityUtrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jesús Arenas
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht UniversityUtrecht, Netherlands
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17
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Lucidarme J, Scott KJ, Ure R, Smith A, Lindsay D, Stenmark B, Jacobsson S, Fredlund H, Cameron JC, Smith-Palmer A, McMenamin J, Gray SJ, Campbell H, Ladhani S, Findlow J, Mölling P, Borrow R. An international invasive meningococcal disease outbreak due to a novel and rapidly expanding serogroup W strain, Scotland and Sweden, July to August 2015. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 21:30395. [PMID: 27918265 PMCID: PMC5144941 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2016.21.45.30395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The 23rd World Scout Jamboree in 2015 took place in Japan and included over 33,000 scouts from 162 countries. Within nine days of the meeting ending, six cases of laboratory-confirmed invasive serogroup W meningococcal disease occurred among scouts and their close contacts in Scotland and Sweden. The isolates responsible were identical to one-another by routine typing and, where known (4 isolates), belonged to the ST-11 clonal complex (cc11) which is associated with large outbreaks and high case fatality rates. Recent studies have demonstrated the need for high-resolution genomic typing schemes to assign serogroup W cc11 isolates to several distinct strains circulating globally over the past two decades. Here we used such schemes to confirm that the Jamboree-associated cases constituted a genuine outbreak and that this was due to a novel and rapidly expanding strain descended from the strain that has recently expanded in South America and the United Kingdom. We also identify the genetic differences that define the novel strain including four point mutations and three putative recombination events involving the horizontal exchange of 17, six and two genes, respectively. Noteworthy outcomes of these changes were antigenic shifts and the disruption of a transcriptional regulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Lucidarme
- Meningococcal Reference Unit, Public Health England, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin J Scott
- Scottish Haemophilus, Legionella, Meningococcus and Pneumococcus Reference Laboratory, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Roisin Ure
- Scottish Haemophilus, Legionella, Meningococcus and Pneumococcus Reference Laboratory, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Smith
- Scottish Haemophilus, Legionella, Meningococcus and Pneumococcus Reference Laboratory, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, United Kingdom.,College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, Glasgow Dental Hospital & School, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Diane Lindsay
- Scottish Haemophilus, Legionella, Meningococcus and Pneumococcus Reference Laboratory, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Bianca Stenmark
- National Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Susanne Jacobsson
- National Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Hans Fredlund
- National Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - J Claire Cameron
- NHS National Services Scotland, Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Alison Smith-Palmer
- NHS National Services Scotland, Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Jim McMenamin
- NHS National Services Scotland, Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Steve J Gray
- Meningococcal Reference Unit, Public Health England, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Campbell
- Immunisation Department, Public Health England, London, United Kingdom
| | - Shamez Ladhani
- Immunisation Department, Public Health England, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jamie Findlow
- Meningococcal Reference Unit, Public Health England, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Paula Mölling
- National Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Ray Borrow
- Meningococcal Reference Unit, Public Health England, Manchester, United Kingdom
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18
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Toneatto D, Pizza M, Masignani V, Rappuoli R. Emerging experience with meningococcal serogroup B protein vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines 2017; 16:433-451. [PMID: 28375029 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2017.1308828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The successful development of two broadly protective vaccines targeting Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB); 4CMenB and rLP2086, is the most significant recent advance in meningococcal disease prevention. Areas covered: Here we review the principles underlying the development of each vaccine and the novel methods used to estimate vaccine coverage. We update clinical and post-licensure experience with 4CMenB and rLP2086. Expert commentary: The immunogenicity and acceptable safety profile of 4CMenB and rLP2086 has been demonstrated in clinical trials. Continuing uncertainties exist around the appropriate age groups to be immunized, the degree and duration of efficacy, and the impact on nasopharyngeal carriage which has implications for strategies to interrupt transmission and maximize herd protection effects. Universal vaccination programs such as those undertaken in Quebec and the United Kingdom are providing important information on these issues. The potential for MenB vaccines to prevent infection by other serogroups appears promising, and the impact of MenB vaccines on other pathogenic neisserial species with similar surface proteins warrants further investigation.
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19
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A journey into the brain: insight into how bacterial pathogens cross blood-brain barriers. Nat Rev Microbiol 2017; 15:149-159. [PMID: 28090076 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro.2016.178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier, which is one of the tightest barriers in the body, protects the brain from insults, such as infections. Indeed, only a few of the numerous blood-borne bacteria can cross the blood-brain barrier to cause meningitis. In this Review, we focus on invasive extracellular pathogens, such as Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, group B Streptococcus and Escherichia coli, to review the obstacles that bacteria have to overcome in order to invade the meninges from the bloodstream, and the specific skills they have developed to bypass the blood-brain barrier. The medical importance of understanding how these barriers can be circumvented is underlined by the fact that we need to improve drug delivery into the brain.
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20
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Mil‐Homens D, Pinto SN, Matos RG, Arraiano C, Fialho AM. Burkholderia cenocepacia
K56‐2 trimeric autotransporter adhesin BcaA binds TNFR1 and contributes to induce airway inflammation. Cell Microbiol 2016; 19. [DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2016] [Revised: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dalila Mil‐Homens
- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB), Instituto Superior Técnico University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
| | - Sandra N. Pinto
- Centro de Química Física Molecular and Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Instituto Superior Técnico University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
| | - Rute G. Matos
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica – ITQB Universidade Nova de Lisboa Oeiras Portugal
| | - Cecília Arraiano
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica – ITQB Universidade Nova de Lisboa Oeiras Portugal
| | - Arsenio M. Fialho
- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB), Instituto Superior Técnico University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
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21
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Scietti L, Sampieri K, Pinzuti I, Bartolini E, Benucci B, Liguori A, Haag AF, Lo Surdo P, Pansegrau W, Nardi-Dei V, Santini L, Arora S, Leber X, Rindi S, Savino S, Costantino P, Maione D, Merola M, Speziale P, Bottomley MJ, Bagnoli F, Masignani V, Pizza M, Scharenberg M, Schlaeppi JM, Nissum M, Liberatori S. Exploring host-pathogen interactions through genome wide protein microarray analysis. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27996. [PMID: 27302108 PMCID: PMC4908583 DOI: 10.1038/srep27996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During bacterial pathogenesis extensive contacts between the human and the bacterial extracellular proteomes take place. The identification of novel host-pathogen interactions by standard methods using a case-by-case approach is laborious and time consuming. To overcome this limitation, we took advantage of large libraries of human and bacterial recombinant proteins. We applied a large-scale protein microarray-based screening on two important human pathogens using two different approaches: (I) 75 human extracellular proteins were tested on 159 spotted Staphylococcus aureus recombinant proteins and (II) Neisseria meningitidis adhesin (NadA), an important vaccine component against serogroup B meningococcus, was screened against ≈2300 spotted human recombinant proteins. The approach presented here allowed the identification of the interaction between the S. aureus immune evasion protein FLIPr (formyl-peptide receptor like-1 inhibitory protein) and the human complement component C1q, key players of the offense-defense fighting; and of the interaction between meningococcal NadA and human LOX-1 (low-density oxidized lipoprotein receptor), an endothelial receptor. The novel interactions between bacterial and human extracellular proteins here presented might provide a better understanding of the molecular events underlying S. aureus and N. meningitidis pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Seguinde Arora
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Xavier Leber
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Simonetta Rindi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Unit of Biochemistry, Viale Taramelli 3/b, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Marcello Merola
- GSK Vaccines, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy.,University of Naples "Federico II", Department of Biology, via Cinthia 4, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro Speziale
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Unit of Biochemistry, Viale Taramelli 3/b, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Meike Scharenberg
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Marc Schlaeppi
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
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22
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Cariccio VL, Domina M, Benfatto S, Venza M, Venza I, Faleri A, Bruttini M, Bartolini E, Giuliani MM, Santini L, Brunelli B, Norais N, Borgogni E, Midiri A, Galbo R, Romeo L, Biondo C, Masignani V, Teti G, Felici F, Beninati C. Phage display revisited: Epitope mapping of a monoclonal antibody directed against Neisseria meningitidis adhesin A using the PROFILER technology. MAbs 2016; 8:741-50. [PMID: 26963435 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2016.1158371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a strong need for rapid and reliable epitope mapping methods that can keep pace with the isolation of increasingly larger numbers of mAbs. We describe here the identification of a conformational epitope using Phage-based Representation OF ImmunoLigand Epitope Repertoire (PROFILER), a recently developed high-throughput method based on deep sequencing of antigen-specific lambda phage-displayed libraries. A novel bactericidal monoclonal antibody (mAb 9F11) raised against Neisseria meningitidis adhesin A (NadA), an important component of the Bexsero(®) anti-meningococcal vaccine, was used to evaluate the technique in comparison with other epitope mapping methods. The PROFILER technology readily identified NadA fragments that were capable of fully recapitulating the reactivity of the entire antigen against mAb 9F11. Further analysis of these fragments using mutagenesis and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass-spectrometry allowed us to identify the binding site of mAb 9F11 (A250-D274) and an adjoining sequence (V275-H312) that was also required for the full functional reconstitution of the epitope. These data suggest that, by virtue of its ability to detect a great variety of immunoreactive antigen fragments in phage-displayed libraries, the PROFILER technology can rapidly and reliably identify epitope-containing regions and provide, in addition, useful clues for the functional characterization of conformational mAb epitopes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Salvatore Benfatto
- b Department of Human Pathology , University of Messina , Messina , Italy
| | - Mario Venza
- c Department Clinical and Experimental Medicine , University of Messina , Messina , Italy
| | - Isabella Venza
- c Department Clinical and Experimental Medicine , University of Messina , Messina , Italy
| | | | - Marco Bruttini
- d GSK Vaccines , Siena , Italy.,e Department of Life Sciences , University of Siena , Siena , Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Angelina Midiri
- b Department of Human Pathology , University of Messina , Messina , Italy
| | - Roberta Galbo
- b Department of Human Pathology , University of Messina , Messina , Italy
| | - Letizia Romeo
- b Department of Human Pathology , University of Messina , Messina , Italy
| | - Carmelo Biondo
- b Department of Human Pathology , University of Messina , Messina , Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Teti
- c Department Clinical and Experimental Medicine , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.,f Charybdis Vaccines Srl , Messina , Italy
| | - Franco Felici
- g Department of Biosciences and Territory , University of Molise , Pesche , Isernia , Italy
| | - Concetta Beninati
- a Scylla Biotech Srl , Messina , Italy.,b Department of Human Pathology , University of Messina , Messina , Italy
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23
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Wang S, Peng L, Gai Z, Zhang L, Jong A, Cao H, Huang SH. Pathogenic Triad in Bacterial Meningitis: Pathogen Invasion, NF-κB Activation, and Leukocyte Transmigration that Occur at the Blood-Brain Barrier. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:148. [PMID: 26925035 PMCID: PMC4760054 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial meningitis remains the leading cause of disabilities worldwide. This life-threatening disease has a high mortality rate despite the availability of antibiotics and improved critical care. The interactions between bacterial surface components and host defense systems that initiate bacterial meningitis have been studied in molecular and cellular detail over the past several decades. Bacterial meningitis commonly exhibits triad hallmark features (THFs): pathogen penetration, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activation in coordination with type 1 interferon (IFN) signaling and leukocyte transmigration that occur at the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which consists mainly of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC). This review outlines the progression of these early inter-correlated events contributing to the central nervous system (CNS) inflammation and injury during the pathogenesis of bacterial meningitis. A better understanding of these issues is not only imperative to elucidating the pathogenic mechanism of bacterial meningitis, but may also provide the in-depth insight into the development of novel therapeutic interventions against this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shifu Wang
- Department of Children's Medical Laboratory Diagnosis Center, Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinan, China; Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Liang Peng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongtao Gai
- Department of Children's Medical Laboratory Diagnosis Center, Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University Jinan, China
| | - Lehai Zhang
- Department of Children's Medical Laboratory Diagnosis Center, Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University Jinan, China
| | - Ambrose Jong
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hong Cao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University Guangzhou, China
| | - Sheng-He Huang
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA
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24
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Wörmann ME, Horien CL, Johnson E, Liu G, Aho E, Tang CM, Exley RM. Neisseria cinerea isolates can adhere to human epithelial cells by type IV pilus-independent mechanisms. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2016; 162:487-502. [PMID: 26813911 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
In pathogenic Neisseria species the type IV pili (Tfp) are of primary importance in host-pathogen interactions. Tfp mediate initial bacterial attachment to cell surfaces and formation of microcolonies via pilus-pilus interactions. Based on genome analysis, many non-pathogenic Neisseria species are predicted to express Tfp, but aside from studies on Neisseria elongata, relatively little is known about the formation and function of pili in these organisms. Here, we have analysed pilin expression and the role of Tfp in Neisseria cinerea. This non-pathogenic species shares a close taxonomic relationship to the pathogen Neisseria meningitidis and also colonizes the human oropharyngeal cavity. Through analysis of non-pathogenic Neisseria genomes we identified two genes with homology to pilE, which encodes the major pilin of N. meningitidis. We show which of the two genes is required for Tfp expression in N. cinerea and that Tfp in this species are required for DNA competence, similar to other Neisseria. However, in contrast to the meningococcus, deletion of the pilin gene did not impact the association of N. cinerea to human epithelial cells, demonstrating that N. cinerea isolates can adhere to human epithelial cells by Tfp-independent mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirka E Wörmann
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Corey L Horien
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Errin Johnson
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Guangyu Liu
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Ellen Aho
- Department of Biology, Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, USA
| | - Christoph M Tang
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Rachel M Exley
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
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25
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Koiwai K, Hartmann MD, Linke D, Lupas AN, Hori K. Structural Basis for Toughness and Flexibility in the C-terminal Passenger Domain of an Acinetobacter Trimeric Autotransporter Adhesin. J Biol Chem 2015; 291:3705-24. [PMID: 26698633 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.701698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) on the cell surface of Gram-negative pathogens mediate bacterial adhesion to host cells and extracellular matrix proteins. However, AtaA, a TAA in the nonpathogenic Acinetobacter sp. strain Tol 5, shows nonspecific high adhesiveness to abiotic material surfaces as well as to biotic surfaces. It consists of a passenger domain secreted by the C-terminal transmembrane anchor domain (TM), and the passenger domain contains an N-terminal head, N-terminal stalk, C-terminal head (Chead), and C-terminal stalk (Cstalk). The Chead-Cstalk-TM fragment, which is conserved in many Acinetobacter TAAs, has by itself the head-stalk-anchor architecture of a complete TAA. Here, we show the crystal structure of the Chead-Cstalk fragment, AtaA_C-terminal passenger domain (CPSD), providing the first view of several conserved TAA domains. The YadA-like head (Ylhead) of the fragment is capped by a unique structure (headCap), composed of three β-hairpins and a connector motif; it also contains a head insert motif (HIM1) before its last inner β-strand. The headCap, Ylhead, and HIM1 integrally form a stable Chead structure. Some of the major domains of the CPSD fragment are inherently flexible and provide bending sites for the fiber between segments whose toughness is ensured by topological chain exchange and hydrophobic core formation inside the trimer. Thus, although adherence assays using in-frame deletion mutants revealed that the characteristic adhesive sites of AtaA reside in its N-terminal part, the flexibility and toughness of the CPSD part provide the resilience that enables the adhesive properties of the full-length fiber across a wide range of conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kotaro Koiwai
- From the Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan, the Structural Biology Research Center, Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Tsukuba 305-0801, Japan
| | - Marcus D Hartmann
- the Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, 72076 Tübingen, Germany, and
| | - Dirk Linke
- the Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, 72076 Tübingen, Germany, and the Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Andrei N Lupas
- the Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, 72076 Tübingen, Germany, and
| | - Katsutoshi Hori
- From the Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan,
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26
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Gasparini R, Panatto D, Bragazzi NL, Lai PL, Bechini A, Levi M, Durando P, Amicizia D. How the Knowledge of Interactions between Meningococcus and the Human Immune System Has Been Used to Prepare Effective Neisseria meningitidis Vaccines. J Immunol Res 2015; 2015:189153. [PMID: 26351643 PMCID: PMC4553322 DOI: 10.1155/2015/189153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last decades, tremendous advancement in dissecting the mechanisms of pathogenicity of Neisseria meningitidis at a molecular level has been achieved, exploiting converging approaches of different disciplines, ranging from pathology to microbiology, immunology, and omics sciences (such as genomics and proteomics). Here, we review the molecular biology of the infectious agent and, in particular, its interactions with the immune system, focusing on both the innate and the adaptive responses. Meningococci exploit different mechanisms and complex machineries in order to subvert the immune system and to avoid being killed. Capsular polysaccharide and lipooligosaccharide glycan composition, in particular, play a major role in circumventing immune response. The understanding of these mechanisms has opened new horizons in the field of vaccinology. Nowadays different licensed meningococcal vaccines are available and used: conjugate meningococcal C vaccines, tetravalent conjugate vaccines, an affordable conjugate vaccine against the N. menigitidis serogroup A, and universal vaccines based on multiple antigens each one with a different and peculiar function against meningococcal group B strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Gasparini
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - D. Panatto
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - N. L. Bragazzi
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - P. L. Lai
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - A. Bechini
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Viale G.B. Morgagni 48, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - M. Levi
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Viale G.B. Morgagni 48, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - P. Durando
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - D. Amicizia
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Pastore 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy
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27
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Abstract
The exclusive reservoir of the genus Neisseria is the human. Of the broad range of species that comprise the Neisseria, only two are frequently pathogenic, and only one of those is a resident of the nasopharynx. Although Neisseria meningitidis can cause severe disease if it invades the bloodstream, the vast majority of interactions between humans and Neisseria are benign, with the bacteria inhabiting its mucosal niche as a non-invasive commensal. Understandably, with the exception of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which preferentially colonises the urogenital tract, the neisseriae are extremely well adapted to survival in the human nasopharynx, their sole biological niche. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the molecular mechanisms evolved by Neisseria to facilitate colonisation and survival within the nasopharynx, focussing on N. meningitidis. The organism has adapted to survive in aerosolised transmission and to attach to mucosal surfaces. It then has to replicate in a nutrition-poor environment and resist immune and competitive pressure within a polymicrobial complex. Temperature and relative gas concentrations (nitric oxide and oxygen) are likely to be potent initial signals of arrival within the nasopharyngeal environment, and this review will focus on how N. meningitidis responds to these to increase the likelihood of its survival.
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28
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Structure of the meningococcal vaccine antigen NadA and epitope mapping of a bactericidal antibody. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:17128-33. [PMID: 25404323 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1419686111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis (MenB) is a major cause of severe sepsis and invasive meningococcal disease, which is associated with 5-15% mortality and devastating long-term sequelae. Neisserial adhesin A (NadA), a trimeric autotransporter adhesin (TAA) that acts in adhesion to and invasion of host epithelial cells, is one of the three antigens discovered by genome mining that are part of the MenB vaccine that recently was approved by the European Medicines Agency. Here we present the crystal structure of NadA variant 5 at 2 Å resolution and transmission electron microscopy data for NadA variant 3 that is present in the vaccine. The two variants show similar overall topology with a novel TAA fold predominantly composed of trimeric coiled-coils with three protruding wing-like structures that create an unusual N-terminal head domain. Detailed mapping of the binding site of a bactericidal antibody by hydrogen/deuterium exchange MS shows that a protective conformational epitope is located in the head of NadA. These results provide information that is important for elucidating the biological function and vaccine efficacy of NadA.
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Bozza G, Capitani M, Montanari P, Benucci B, Biancucci M, Nardi-Dei V, Caproni E, Barrile R, Picciani B, Savino S, Aricò B, Rappuoli R, Pizza M, Luini A, Sallese M, Merola M. Role of ARF6, Rab11 and external Hsp90 in the trafficking and recycling of recombinant-soluble Neisseria meningitidis adhesin A (rNadA) in human epithelial cells. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110047. [PMID: 25347845 PMCID: PMC4210143 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidisadhesin A (NadA) is a meningococcus surface protein thought to assist in the adhesion of the bacterium to host cells. We have previously shown that NadA also promotes bacterial internalization in a heterologous expression system. Here we have used the soluble recombinant NadA (rNadA) lacking the membrane anchor region to characterize its internalization route in Chang epithelial cells. Added to the culture medium, rNadA internalizes through a PI3K-dependent endocytosis process not mediated by the canonical clathrin or caveolin scaffolds, but instead follows an ARF6-regulated recycling pathway previously described for MHC-I. The intracellular pool of rNadA reaches a steady state level within one hour of incubation and colocalizes in endocytic vesicles with MHC-I and with the extracellularly labeled chaperone Hsp90. Treatment with membrane permeated and impermeable Hsp90 inhibitors 17-AAG and FITC-GA respectively, lead to intracellular accumulation of rNadA, strongly suggesting that the extracellular secreted pool of the chaperone is involved in rNadA intracellular trafficking. A significant number of intracellular vesicles containing rNadA recruit Rab11, a small GTPase associated to recycling endosomes, but do not contain transferrin receptor (TfR). Interestingly, cell treatment with Hsp90 inhibitors, including the membrane-impermeable FITC-GA, abolished Rab11-rNadA colocalization but do not interfere with Rab11-TfR colocalization. Collectively, these results are consistent with a model whereby rNadA internalizes into human epithelial cells hijacking the recycling endosome pathway and recycle back to the surface of the cell via an ARF6-dependent, Rab11 associated and Hsp90-regulated mechanism. The present study addresses for the first time a meningoccoccal adhesin mechanism of endocytosis and suggests a possible entry pathway engaged by N. meningitidis in primary infection of human epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mirco Capitani
- Unit of Genomic Approaches to Membrane Traffic, Fondazione Mario Negri Sud, S. Maria Imbaro (CH), Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Benedetta Picciani
- Unit of Genomic Approaches to Membrane Traffic, Fondazione Mario Negri Sud, S. Maria Imbaro (CH), Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Alberto Luini
- Institute of Protein Biochemistry, CNR, Naples, Italy
| | - Michele Sallese
- Unit of Genomic Approaches to Membrane Traffic, Fondazione Mario Negri Sud, S. Maria Imbaro (CH), Italy
- * E-mail: (MS); (MM)
| | - Marcello Merola
- Novartis Vaccines, Siena, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- * E-mail: (MS); (MM)
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30
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Nonprofessional phagocytic cell receptors involved in Staphylococcus aureus internalization. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:538546. [PMID: 24826382 PMCID: PMC4009297 DOI: 10.1155/2014/538546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a successful human and animal pathogen. The majority of infections caused by this pathogen are life threatening, primarily because S. aureus has developed multiple evasion strategies, possesses intracellular persistence for long periods, and targets the skin and soft tissues. Therefore, it is very important to understand the mechanisms employed by S. aureus to colonize and proliferate in these cells. The aim of this review is to describe the recent discoveries concerning the host receptors of nonprofessional phagocytes involved in S. aureus internalization. Most of the knowledge related to the interaction of S. aureus with its host cells has been described in professional phagocytic cells such as macrophages. Here, we showed that in nonprofessional phagocytes the α 5 β 1 integrin host receptor, chaperons, and the scavenger receptor CD36 are the main receptors employed during S. aureus internalization. The characterization and identification of new bacterial effectors and the host cell receptors involved will undoubtedly lead to new discoveries with beneficial purposes.
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31
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Hung MC, Christodoulides M. The biology of Neisseria adhesins. BIOLOGY 2013; 2:1054-109. [PMID: 24833056 PMCID: PMC3960869 DOI: 10.3390/biology2031054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Revised: 07/01/2013] [Accepted: 07/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Members of the genus Neisseria include pathogens causing important human diseases such as meningitis, septicaemia, gonorrhoea and pelvic inflammatory disease syndrome. Neisseriae are found on the exposed epithelia of the upper respiratory tract and the urogenital tract. Colonisation of these exposed epithelia is dependent on a repertoire of diverse bacterial molecules, extending not only from the surface of the bacteria but also found within the outer membrane. During invasive disease, pathogenic Neisseriae also interact with immune effector cells, vascular endothelia and the meninges. Neisseria adhesion involves the interplay of these multiple surface factors and in this review we discuss the structure and function of these important molecules and the nature of the host cell receptors and mechanisms involved in their recognition. We also describe the current status for recently identified Neisseria adhesins. Understanding the biology of Neisseria adhesins has an impact not only on the development of new vaccines but also in revealing fundamental knowledge about human biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao-Chiu Hung
- Neisseria Research, Molecular Microbiology, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Sir Henry Wellcome Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
| | - Myron Christodoulides
- Neisseria Research, Molecular Microbiology, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Sir Henry Wellcome Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
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32
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Grijpstra J, Arenas J, Rutten L, Tommassen J. Autotransporter secretion: varying on a theme. Res Microbiol 2013; 164:562-82. [PMID: 23567321 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2013.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2012] [Accepted: 02/28/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Autotransporters are widely distributed among Gram-negative bacteria. They can have a large variety of functions and many of them have a role in virulence. They are synthesized as large precursors with an N-terminal signal sequence that mediates transport across the inner membrane via the Sec machinery and a translocator domain that mediates the transport of the connected passenger domain across the outer membrane to the bacterial cell surface. Like integral outer membrane proteins, the translocator domain folds in a β-barrel structure and requires the Bam machinery for its insertion into the outer membrane. After transport across the outer membrane, the passenger may stay connected via the translocator domain to the bacterial cell surface or it is proteolytically released into the extracellular milieu. Based on the size of the translocator domain and its position relative to the passenger in the precursor, autotransporters are divided into four sub-categories. We review here the current knowledge of the biogenesis, structure and function of various autotransporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Grijpstra
- Section Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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33
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Bartley SN, Tzeng YL, Heel K, Lee CW, Mowlaboccus S, Seemann T, Lu W, Lin YH, Ryan CS, Peacock C, Stephens DS, Davies JK, Kahler CM. Attachment and invasion of Neisseria meningitidis to host cells is related to surface hydrophobicity, bacterial cell size and capsule. PLoS One 2013; 8:e55798. [PMID: 23405216 PMCID: PMC3566031 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2012] [Accepted: 01/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We compared exemplar strains from two hypervirulent clonal complexes, strain NMB-CDC from ST-8/11 cc and strain MC58 from ST-32/269 cc, in host cell attachment and invasion. Strain NMB-CDC attached to and invaded host cells at a significantly greater frequency than strain MC58. Type IV pili retained the primary role for initial attachment to host cells for both isolates regardless of pilin class and glycosylation pattern. In strain MC58, the serogroup B capsule was the major inhibitory determinant affecting both bacterial attachment to and invasion of host cells. Removal of terminal sialylation of lipooligosaccharide (LOS) in the presence of capsule did not influence rates of attachment or invasion for strain MC58. However, removal of either serogroup B capsule or LOS sialylation in strain NMB-CDC increased bacterial attachment to host cells to the same extent. Although the level of inhibition of attachment by capsule was different between these strains, the regulation of the capsule synthesis locus by the two-component response regulator MisR, and the level of surface capsule determined by flow cytometry were not significantly different. However, the diplococci of strain NMB-CDC were shown to have a 1.89-fold greater surface area than strain MC58 by flow cytometry. It was proposed that the increase in surface area without changing the amount of anchored glycolipid capsule in the outer membrane would result in a sparser capsule and increase surface hydrophobicity. Strain NMB-CDC was shown to be more hydrophobic than strain MC58 using hydrophobicity interaction chromatography and microbial adhesion-to-solvents assays. In conclusion, improved levels of adherence of strain NMB-CDC to cell lines was associated with increased bacterial cell surface and surface hydrophobicity. This study shows that there is diversity in bacterial cell surface area and surface hydrophobicity within N. meningitidis which influence steps in meningococcal pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie N. Bartley
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Yih-Ling Tzeng
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Kathryn Heel
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, and Translational Cancer Pathology Laboratory, School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Chiang W. Lee
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Shakeel Mowlaboccus
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Torsten Seemann
- Victorian Bioinformatics Consortium, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Wei Lu
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ya-Hsun Lin
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Catherine S. Ryan
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher Peacock
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - David S. Stephens
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - John K. Davies
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Charlene M. Kahler
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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Schriefer EM, Hoffmann-Thoms S, Schmid FX, Schmid A, Heesemann J. Yersinia enterocolitica and Photorhabdus asymbiotica β-lactamases BlaA are exported by the twin-arginine translocation pathway. Int J Med Microbiol 2012; 303:16-24. [PMID: 23276548 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2012.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2012] [Revised: 11/05/2012] [Accepted: 11/05/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In general, β-lactamases of medically important Gram-negative bacteria are Sec-dependently translocated into the periplasm. In contrast, β-lactamases of Mycobacteria spp. (BlaC, BlaS) and the Gram-negative environmental bacteria Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (L2) and Xanthomonas campestris (Bla(XCC-1)) have been reported to be secreted by the twin-arginine translocation (Tat) system. Yersinia enterocolitica carries 2 distinct β-lactamase genes (blaA and blaB) encoding BlaA(Ye) and the AmpC-like β-lactamase BlaB, respectively. By using the software PRED-TAT for prediction and discrimination of Sec from Tat signal peptides, we identified a functional Tat signal sequence for Yersinia BlaA(Ye). The Tat-dependent translocation of BlaA(Ye) could be clearly demonstrated by using a Y. enterocolitica tatC-mutant and cell fractionation. Moreover, we could demonstrate a unique unusual temperature-dependent activity profile of BlaA(Ye) ranging from 15 to 60 °C and a high 'melting temperature' (T(M)=44.3°) in comparison to the related Sec-dependent β-lactamase TEM-1 (20-50°C, T(M)=34.9 °C). Strikingly, the blaA gene of Y. enterocolitica is present in diverse environmental Yersinia spp. and a blaA homolog gene could be identified in the closely related Photorhabdus asymbiotica (BlaA(Pa); 69% identity to BlaA(Ye)). For BlaA(Pa) of P. asymbiotica, we could also demonstrate Tat-dependent secretion. These results suggest that Yersinia BlaA-related β-lactamases may be the prototype of a large Tat-dependent β-lactamase family, which originated from environmental bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva-Maria Schriefer
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, D-80336 Munich, Germany
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35
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The new multicomponent vaccine against meningococcal serogroup B, 4CMenB: immunological, functional and structural characterization of the antigens. Vaccine 2012; 30 Suppl 2:B87-97. [PMID: 22607904 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.01.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 277] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2011] [Revised: 01/09/2012] [Accepted: 01/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is a major cause of endemic cases and epidemics of meningitis and devastating septicemia. Although effective vaccines exist for several serogroups of pathogenic N. meningitidis, conventional vaccinology approaches have failed to provide a universal solution for serogroup B (MenB) which consequently remains an important burden of disease worldwide. The advent of whole-genome sequencing changed the approach to vaccine development, enabling the identification of potential vaccine candidates starting directly with the genomic information, with a process named reverse vaccinology. The application of reverse vaccinology to MenB allowed the identification of new protein antigens able to induce bactericidal antibodies. Three highly immunogenic antigens (fHbp, NadA and NHBA) were combined with outer membrane vesicles and formulated for human use in a multicomponent vaccine, named 4CMenB. This is the first MenB vaccine based on recombinant proteins able to elicit a robust bactericidal immune response in adults, adolescents and infants against a broad range of serogroup B isolates. This review describes the successful story of the development of the 4CMenB vaccine, with particular emphasis on the functional, immunological and structural characterization of the protein antigens included in the vaccine.
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36
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Ladhani SN, Lucidarme J, Newbold LS, Gray SJ, Carr AD, Findlow J, Ramsay ME, Kaczmarski EB, Borrow R. Invasive meningococcal capsular group Y disease, England and Wales, 2007-2009. Emerg Infect Dis 2012; 18:63-70. [PMID: 22261040 PMCID: PMC3310110 DOI: 10.3201/eid1801.110901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Increases may result from mutations that allow the organism to evade the immune system. Enhanced national surveillance for invasive meningococcal disease in England and Wales identified an increase in laboratory-confirmed capsular group Y (MenY) disease from 34 cases in 2007 to 44 in 2008 and 65 in 2009. For cases diagnosed in 2009, patient median age at disease onset was 60 years; 39% of patients had underlying medical conditions, and 19% died. MenY isolates causing invasive disease during 2007–2009 belonged mainly to 1 of 4 clonal complexes (cc), cc23 (56% of isolates), cc174 (21%), cc167 (11%), and cc22 (8%). The 2009 increase resulted primarily from sequence type 1655 (cc23) (22 cases in 2009, compared with 4 cases each in 2007 and 2008). cc23 was associated with lpxL1 mutations and meningitis in younger age groups (<25 years); cc174 was associated with nonmeningitis, particularly pneumonia, in older age groups (>65 years). The increase in MenY disease requires careful epidemiologic and molecular monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamez N Ladhani
- Department, Health Protection Agency Colindale, 61 Colindale Ave, London NW9 5EQ, UK.
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37
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The early clinical development of a multicomponent vaccine against meningococcal serogroup B. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.4155/cli.12.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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38
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Li MF, Hu YH, Zheng WJ, Sun BG, Wang CL, Sun L. Inv1: an Edwardsiella tarda invasin and a protective immunogen that is required for host infection. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2012; 32:586-592. [PMID: 22289712 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2012.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2011] [Revised: 12/28/2011] [Accepted: 01/13/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Invasin is an outer membrane protein that is known to mediate entry of enteric bacteria into mammalian cells. In this study, we analyzed the function and immunoprotective potential of the invasin Inv1 from Edwardsiella tarda, a serious fish pathogen that can also infect humans. In silico analysis indicated that Inv1 possesses a conserved N-terminal DUF3442 domain and a C-terminal group 1 bacterial Ig-like domain. Subcellular localization analysis showed that Inv1 is exposed on cell surface and could be recognized by specific antibodies. Mutation of inv1 had no effect on bacterial growth but attenuates overall bacterial virulence and impaired the ability of E. tarda to attach and invade into host cells. Consistent with these observations, antibody blocking of Inv1 inhibited E. tarda infection of host cells. To examine the immunoprotective potential of Inv1, recombinant Inv1 (rInv1) corresponding to the DUF3442 domain was purified and used to vaccinate Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). The results showed that rInv1 induced strong protection against lethal-dose challenge of E. tarda. ELISA analysis showed that rInv1-vaccinated fish produced specific serum antibodies that could enhance the serum bactericidal activity against E. tarda. Taken together, these results indicate that Inv1 is a surface-localized virulence factor that is involved in host infection and can induce effective immunoprotection when used as a subunit vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mo-fei Li
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao 266071, China
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39
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Abstract
Bartonella spp. are facultative intracellular pathogens that employ a unique stealth infection strategy comprising immune evasion and modulation, intimate interaction with nucleated cells, and intraerythrocytic persistence. Infections with Bartonella are ubiquitous among mammals, and many species can infect humans either as their natural host or incidentally as zoonotic pathogens. Upon inoculation into a naive host, the bartonellae first colonize a primary niche that is widely accepted to involve the manipulation of nucleated host cells, e.g., in the microvasculature. Consistently, in vitro research showed that Bartonella harbors an ample arsenal of virulence factors to modulate the response of such cells, gain entrance, and establish an intracellular niche. Subsequently, the bacteria are seeded into the bloodstream where they invade erythrocytes and give rise to a typically asymptomatic intraerythrocytic bacteremia. While this course of infection is characteristic for natural hosts, zoonotic infections or the infection of immunocompromised patients may alter the path of Bartonella and result in considerable morbidity. In this review we compile current knowledge on the molecular processes underlying both the infection strategy and pathogenesis of Bartonella and discuss their connection to the clinical presentation of human patients, which ranges from minor complaints to life-threatening disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Harms
- Focal Area Infection Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland
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