Anti-invasive activity of bovine lactoferrin towards group A streptococci

2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Ajello ◽  
Rita Greco ◽  
Francesco Giansanti ◽  
Maria Teresa Massucci ◽  
Giovanni Antonini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Bovine Lactoferrin ◽  
Group A Streptococci ◽  
Intracellular Replication ◽  
In Vitro Invasion ◽  
Cultured Epithelial Cells ◽  
Group A

Group A streptococci (GAS) are able to invade cultured epithelial and endothelial cells without evidence of intracellular replication. GAS, like other facultative intracellular bacterial pathogens, evolved such ability to enter and to survive within host cells avoiding the host defences, and bacterial intracellular survival could explain the recurrence of infections. We report here that 1 mg bovine lactoferrin (bLf)/mL significantly hindered the in vitro invasion of cultured epithelial cells by GAS isolated from patients suffering from pharyngitis and completely inhibited the invasiveness of GAS pretreated with subinhibiting concentrations of erythromycin or ampicillin. One milligram of bLf per millilitre was also able to increase the number of epithelial cells undergoing apoptosis following GAS invasion, although the number of intracellular GAS in the presence of bLf decreased by about 10-fold. The ability of bLf to decrease GAS invasion was confirmed by an in vivo trial carried out on 12 children suffering from pharyngitis and already scheduled for tonsillectomy. In tonsil specimens from children treated for 15 days before tonsillectomy with both oral erythromycin (500 mg t.i.d. (three times daily)) and bLf gargles (100 mg t.i.d.), a lower number of intracellular GAS was found in comparison with that retrieved in tonsil specimens from children treated with erythromycin alone (500 mg t.i.d.).Key words: lactoferrin, group A streptococci, invasiveness, anti-invasive activity, apoptosis.

scholarly journals SpyAD, a Moonlighting Protein of Group A Streptococcus Contributing to Bacterial Division and Host Cell Adhesion

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (7) ◽  
pp. 2890-2901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilena Gallotta ◽  
Giovanni Gancitano ◽  
Giampiero Pietrocola ◽  
Marirosa Mora ◽  
Alfredo Pezzicoli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Division ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Group A Streptococcus ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Knockout Mutant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Moonlighting Protein ◽  
Group A

ABSTRACTGroup A streptococcus (GAS) is a human pathogen causing a wide repertoire of mild and severe diseases for which no vaccine is yet available. We recently reported the identification of three protein antigens that in combination conferred wide protection against GAS infection in mice. Here we focused our attention on the characterization of one of these three antigens, Spy0269, a highly conserved, surface-exposed, and immunogenic protein of unknown function. Deletion of thespy0269gene in a GAS M1 isolate resulted in very long bacterial chains, which is indicative of an impaired capacity of the knockout mutant to properly divide. Confocal microscopy and immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that the protein was mainly localized at the cell septum and could interactin vitrowith the cell division protein FtsZ, leading us to hypothesize that Spy0269 is a member of the GAS divisome machinery. Predicted structural domains and sequence homologies with known streptococcal adhesins suggested that this antigen could also play a role in mediating GAS interaction with host cells. This hypothesis was confirmed by showing that recombinant Spy0269 could bind to mammalian epithelial cellsin vitroand thatLactococcus lactisexpressing Spy0269 on its cell surface could adhere to mammalian cellsin vitroand to mice nasal mucosain vivo. On the basis of these data, we believe that Spy0269 is involved both in bacterial cell division and in adhesion to host cells and we propose to rename this multifunctional moonlighting protein as SpyAD (StreptococcuspyogenesAdhesion andDivision protein).

scholarly journals Novel Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Protein That Is Indispensable for Virulence and Intracellular Replication

2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 7413-7418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tahar van der Straaten ◽  
Angela van Diepen ◽  
Kitty Kwappenberg ◽  
Sjaak van Voorden ◽  
Kees Franken ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Protein Function ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Intracellular Replication ◽  
Oxygen Intermediates ◽  
Serovar Typhimurium

ABSTRACT Upon contact with host cells, the intracellular pathogenSalmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium promotes its uptake, targeting, and survival in intracellular niches. In this process, the bacterium evades the microbicidal effector mechanisms of the macrophage, including oxygen intermediates. This study reports the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of an S. enterica serovar Typhimurium mutant that is hypersusceptible to superoxide. The susceptible phenotype is due to a MudJ insertion-inactivation of a previously undescribedSalmonella gene designated sspJ that is located between 54.4 and 64 min of the Salmonellachromosome and encodes a 392-amino-acid protein. In vivo, upon intraperitoneal injection of 104 to 107bacteria in C3H/HeN and 101 to 104 bacteria in BALB/c mice, the mutant strain was less virulent than the wild type. Consistent with this finding, during the first hour after ingestion by macrophage-like J774 and RAW264.7 cells in vitro, the intracellular killing of the strain carrying sspJ::MudJ is enhanced fivefold over that of wild-type microorganisms. Wild-type salmonellae displayed significant intracellular replication during the first 24 h after uptake, but sspJ::MudJ mutants failed to do so. This phenotype could be restored to that of the wild type by sspJ complementation. The SspJ protein is found in the cytoplasmic membrane and periplasmic space. Amino acid sequence homology analysis did reveal a leader sequence and putative pyrroloquinoline quinone-binding domains, but no putative protein function. We excluded the possibility that SspJ is a scavenger of superoxide or has superoxide dismutase activity.

scholarly journals Upregulation of the Adhesin Gene EPA1 Mediated by PDR1 in Candida glabrata Leads to Enhanced Host Colonization

mSphere ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis A. Vale-Silva ◽  
Beat Moeckli ◽  
Riccardo Torelli ◽  
Brunella Posteraro ◽  
Maurizio Sanguinetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Candida Glabrata ◽  
Resistance Mechanism ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Regulation Mechanism ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Candida glabrata is an important fungal pathogen in human diseases and is also rapidly acquiring drug resistance. Drug resistance can be mediated by the transcriptional activator PDR1, and this results in the upregulation of multidrug transporters. Intriguingly, this resistance mechanism is associated in C. glabrata with increased virulence in animal models and also with increased adherence to specific host cell types. The C. glabrata adhesin gene EPA1 is a major contributor of virulence and adherence to host cells. Here, we show that EPA1 expression is controlled by PDR1 independently of subtelomeric silencing, a known EPA1 regulation mechanism. Thus, a relationship exists between PDR1, EPA1 expression, and adherence to host cells, which is critical for efficient virulence. Our results demonstrate that acquisition of drug resistance is beneficial for C. glabrata in fungus-host relationships. These findings further highlight the challenges of the therapeutic management of C. glabrata infections in human patients. Candida glabrata is the second most common Candida species causing disseminated infection, after C. albicans. C. glabrata is intrinsically less susceptible to the widely used azole antifungal drugs and quickly develops secondary resistance. Resistance typically relies on drug efflux with transporters regulated by the transcription factor Pdr1. Gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in PDR1 lead to a hyperactive state and thus efflux transporter upregulation. Our laboratory has characterized a collection of C. glabrata clinical isolates in which azole resistance was found to correlate with increased virulence in vivo. Contributing phenotypes were the evasion of adhesion and phagocytosis by macrophages and an increased adhesion to epithelial cells. These phenotypes were found to be dependent on PDR1 GOF mutation and/or C. glabrata strain background. In the search for the molecular effectors, we found that PDR1 hyperactivity leads to overexpression of specific cell wall adhesins of C. glabrata. Further study revealed that EPA1 regulation, in particular, explained the increase in adherence to epithelial cells. Deleting EPA1 eliminates the increase in adherence in an in vitro model of interaction with epithelial cells. In a murine model of urinary tract infection, PDR1 hyperactivity conferred increased ability to colonize the bladder and kidneys in an EPA1-dependent way. In conclusion, this study establishes a relationship between PDR1 and the regulation of cell wall adhesins, an important virulence attribute of C. glabrata. Furthermore, our data show that PDR1 hyperactivity mediates increased adherence to host epithelial tissues both in vitro and in vivo through upregulation of the adhesin gene EPA1. IMPORTANCE Candida glabrata is an important fungal pathogen in human diseases and is also rapidly acquiring drug resistance. Drug resistance can be mediated by the transcriptional activator PDR1, and this results in the upregulation of multidrug transporters. Intriguingly, this resistance mechanism is associated in C. glabrata with increased virulence in animal models and also with increased adherence to specific host cell types. The C. glabrata adhesin gene EPA1 is a major contributor of virulence and adherence to host cells. Here, we show that EPA1 expression is controlled by PDR1 independently of subtelomeric silencing, a known EPA1 regulation mechanism. Thus, a relationship exists between PDR1, EPA1 expression, and adherence to host cells, which is critical for efficient virulence. Our results demonstrate that acquisition of drug resistance is beneficial for C. glabrata in fungus-host relationships. These findings further highlight the challenges of the therapeutic management of C. glabrata infections in human patients.

Effect of bovine lactoferrin onChlamydia trachomatisinfection and inflammation

2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Sessa ◽  
Marisa Di Pietro ◽  
Simone Filardo ◽  
Alessia Bressan ◽  
Luigi Rosa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Infection ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Developmental Cycle ◽  
Bovine Lactoferrin ◽  
Bacterial Disease ◽  
Chronic Infections ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Obligate Intracellular Pathogen

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate, intracellular pathogen responsible for the most common sexually transmitted bacterial disease worldwide, causing acute and chronic infections. The acute infection is susceptible to antibiotics, whereas the chronic one needs prolonged therapies, thus increasing the risk of developing antibiotic resistance. Novel alternative therapies are needed. The intracellular development of C. trachomatis requires essential nutrients, including iron. Iron-chelating drugs inhibit C. trachomatis developmental cycle. Lactoferrin (Lf), a pleiotropic iron binding glycoprotein, could be a promising candidate against C. trachomatis infection. Similarly to the efficacy against other intracellular pathogens, bovine Lf (bLf) could both interfere with C. trachomatis entry into epithelial cells and exert an anti-inflammatory activity. In vitro and in vivo effects of bLf against C. trachomatis infectious and inflammatory process has been investigated. BLf inhibits C. trachomatis entry into host cells when incubated with cell monolayers before or at the moment of the infection and down-regulates IL-6/IL-8 synthesized by infected cells. Six out of 7 pregnant women asymptomatically infected by C. trachomatis, after 30 days of bLf intravaginal administration, were negative for C. trachomatis and showed a decrease of cervical IL-6 levels. This is the first time that the bLf protective effect against C. trachomatis infection has been demonstrated.

scholarly journals Dual oxidase 1 promotes antiviral innate immunity

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (26) ◽  
pp. e2017130118
Author(s):  
Demba Sarr ◽  
Aaron D. Gingerich ◽  
Nuha Milad Asthiwi ◽  
Faris Almutairi ◽  
Giuseppe A. Sautto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Innate Immunity ◽  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Dual Oxidase ◽  
Antiviral Innate Immunity

Dual oxidase 1 (DUOX1) is an NADPH oxidase that is highly expre-ssed in respiratory epithelial cells and produces H2O2 in the airway lumen. While a line of prior in vitro observations suggested that DUOX1 works in partnership with an airway peroxidase, lactoperoxidase (LPO), to produce antimicrobial hypothiocyanite (OSCN−) in the airways, the in vivo role of DUOX1 in mammalian organisms has remained unproven to date. Here, we show that Duox1 promotes antiviral innate immunity in vivo. Upon influenza airway challenge, Duox1−/− mice have enhanced mortality, morbidity, and impaired lung viral clearance. Duox1 increases the airway levels of several cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, CCL1, CCL3, CCL11, CCL19, CCL20, CCL27, CXCL5, and CXCL11), contributes to innate immune cell recruitment, and affects epithelial apoptosis in the airways. In primary human tracheobronchial epithelial cells, OSCN− is generated by LPO using DUOX1-derived H2O2 and inactivates several influenza strains in vitro. We also show that OSCN− diminishes influenza replication and viral RNA synthesis in infected host cells that is inhibited by the H2O2 scavenger catalase. Binding of the influenza virus to host cells and viral entry are both reduced by OSCN− in an H2O2-dependent manner in vitro. OSCN− does not affect the neuraminidase activity or morphology of the influenza virus. Overall, this antiviral function of Duox1 identifies an in vivo role of this gene, defines the steps in the infection cycle targeted by OSCN−, and proposes that boosting this mechanism in vivo can have therapeutic potential in treating viral infections.

scholarly journals THE EFFECT OF A POLYSACCHARIDE-SPLITTING ENZYME ON STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTION

1941 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
George K. Hirst
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Streptococcal Infection ◽  
Protective Action ◽  
Intraperitoneal Administration ◽  
Group A Streptococci ◽  
Group A ◽  
Intraperitoneal Infection ◽  
Virulent Group

1. Confirming the observations of other experimenters, it has been found that group A hemolytic streptococci produce a capsule containing a polysaccharide which is similar to, if not identical with, certain high molecular weight sugars found in the mammalian body. 2. Leech extract possesses a powerful enzyme capable of splitting one of the linkages in this polysaccharide and of decapsulating group A and group C hemolytic streptococci in vitro and in vivo. 3. Mice and guinea pigs can be protected from intraperitoneal infection with a virulent group C streptococcus by the intraperitoneal administration of leech extract. In contrast there is little protective action of leech extract in mice infected with group A hemolytic streptococci. 4. The protective effect of leech extract against streptococcal group C infection is probably due to the removal of the capsule in vivo. 5. The capsule of mouse virulent group C streptococci plays a major rôle in the virulence of that microorganism, while the capsule of certain mouse virulent group A streptococci plays little, if any, rôle in virulence, at least when the infection is intraperitoneal in the mouse.

Intracellular survival of persistent Group A streptococci in cultured epithelial cells

2004 ◽  
Vol 294 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehran J Marouni ◽  
Asher Barzilai ◽  
N Keller ◽  
Eitan Rubinstein ◽  
Shlomo Sela
Keyword(s):  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Intracellular Survival ◽  
Group A Streptococci ◽  
Cultured Epithelial Cells ◽  
Group A

scholarly journals Rifapentine is active in vitro and in vivo against Toxoplasma gondii.

1996 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 1335-1337 ◽  
Author(s):  
F G Araujo ◽  
A A Khan ◽  
J S Remington
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Intracellular Replication ◽  
Degree Of Protection

Rifapentine, a derivative of rifamycin, was examined for its in vitro and in vivo activities against the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The drug inhibited the intracellular replication of parasites and was not cytotoxic for the host cells at inhibitory concentrations. Mice infected either intraperitoneally with tachyzoites of the RH strain or orally with tissue cysts of the C56 strain were protected against death by treatment with rifapentine. The degree of protection was similar to that induced by atovaquone and apparently higher than that induced by rifabutin. Rifapentine may be a useful drug for the treatment of toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised individuals.

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