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Su MSW, Cheng YL, Lin YS, Wu JJ. Interplay between group A Streptococcus and host innate immune responses. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0005222. [PMID: 38451081 PMCID: PMC10966951 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00052-22] [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] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYGroup A Streptococcus (GAS), also known as Streptococcus pyogenes, is a clinically well-adapted human pathogen that harbors rich virulence determinants contributing to a broad spectrum of diseases. GAS is capable of invading epithelial, endothelial, and professional phagocytic cells while evading host innate immune responses, including phagocytosis, selective autophagy, light chain 3-associated phagocytosis, and inflammation. However, without a more complete understanding of the different ways invasive GAS infections develop, it is difficult to appreciate how GAS survives and multiplies in host cells that have interactive immune networks. This review article attempts to provide an overview of the behaviors and mechanisms that allow pathogenic GAS to invade cells, along with the strategies that host cells practice to constrain GAS infection. We highlight the counteractions taken by GAS to apply virulence factors such as streptolysin O, nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotidase, and streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B as a hindrance to host innate immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcia Shu-Wei Su
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, College of Biomedical Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Lin Cheng
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yee-Shin Lin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Jiunn-Jong Wu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, College of Biomedical Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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2
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Satala D, Bednarek A, Kozik A, Rapala-Kozik M, Karkowska-Kuleta J. The Recruitment and Activation of Plasminogen by Bacteria-The Involvement in Chronic Infection Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10436. [PMID: 37445613 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of infections caused by pathogenic bacteria is largely related to the specific properties of the bacterial cell surface and extracellular hydrolytic activity. Furthermore, a significant role of hijacking of host proteolytic cascades by pathogens during invasion should not be disregarded during consideration of the mechanisms of bacterial virulence. This is the key factor for the pathogen evasion of the host immune response, tissue damage, and pathogen invasiveness at secondary infection sites after initial penetration through tissue barriers. In this review, the mechanisms of bacterial impact on host plasminogen-the precursor of the important plasma serine proteinase, plasmin-are characterized, principally focusing on cell surface exposition of various proteins, responsible for binding of this host (pro)enzyme and its activators or inhibitors, as well as the fibrinolytic system activation tactics exploited by different bacterial species, not only pathogenic, but also selected harmless residents of the human microbiome. Additionally, the involvement of bacterial factors that modulate the process of plasminogen activation and fibrinolysis during periodontitis is also described, providing a remarkable example of a dual use of this host system in the development of chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Satala
- Department of Comparative Biochemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Aneta Bednarek
- Department of Comparative Biochemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Andrzej Kozik
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Maria Rapala-Kozik
- Department of Comparative Biochemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Justyna Karkowska-Kuleta
- Department of Comparative Biochemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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Houston S, Schovanek E, Conway KME, Mustafa S, Gomez A, Ramaswamy R, Haimour A, Boulanger MJ, Reynolds LA, Cameron CE. Identification and Functional Characterization of Peptides With Antimicrobial Activity From the Syphilis Spirochete, Treponema pallidum. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:888525. [PMID: 35722306 PMCID: PMC9200625 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.888525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The etiological agent of syphilis, Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum, is a highly invasive “stealth” pathogen that can evade the host immune response and persist within the host for decades. This obligate human pathogen is adept at establishing infection and surviving at sites within the host that have a multitude of competing microbes, sometimes including pathogens. One survival strategy employed by bacteria found at polymicrobial sites is elimination of competing microorganisms by production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Antimicrobial peptides are low molecular weight proteins (miniproteins) that function directly via inhibition and killing of microbes and/or indirectly via modulation of the host immune response, which can facilitate immune evasion. In the current study, we used bioinformatics to show that approximately 7% of the T. pallidum proteome is comprised of miniproteins of 150 amino acids or less with unknown functions. To investigate the possibility that AMP production is an unrecognized defense strategy used by T. pallidum during infection, we developed a bioinformatics pipeline to analyze the complement of T. pallidum miniproteins of unknown function for the identification of potential AMPs. This analysis identified 45 T. pallidum AMP candidates; of these, Tp0451a and Tp0749 were subjected to further bioinformatic analyses to identify AMP critical core regions (AMPCCRs). Four potential AMPCCRs from the two predicted AMPs were identified and peptides corresponding to these AMPCCRs were experimentally confirmed to exhibit bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity against a panel of biologically relevant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Immunomodulation assays performed under inflammatory conditions demonstrated that one of the AMPCCRs was also capable of differentially regulating expression of two pro-inflammatory chemokines [monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin-8 (IL-8)]. These findings demonstrate proof-of-concept for our developed AMP identification pipeline and are consistent with the novel concept that T. pallidum expresses AMPs to defend against competing microbes and modulate the host immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Houston
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Ethan Schovanek
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Kate M. E. Conway
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Sarah Mustafa
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Alloysius Gomez
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Raghavendran Ramaswamy
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Ayman Haimour
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Martin J. Boulanger
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Lisa A. Reynolds
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Caroline E. Cameron
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- *Correspondence: Caroline E. Cameron,
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Rodríguez AA, Otero-González A, Ghattas M, Ständker L. Discovery, Optimization, and Clinical Application of Natural Antimicrobial Peptides. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1381. [PMID: 34680498 PMCID: PMC8533436 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9101381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are widespread in multicellular organisms. These structurally diverse molecules are produced as the first line of defense against pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Also known as host defense peptides in higher eukaryotic organisms, AMPs display immunomodulatory and anticancer activities. During the last 30 years, technological advances have boosted the research on antimicrobial peptides, which have also attracted great interest as an alternative to tackling the antimicrobial resistance scenario mainly provoked by some bacterial and fungal pathogens. However, the introduction of natural AMPs in clinical trials faces challenges such as proteolytic digestion, short half-lives, and cytotoxicity upon systemic and oral application. Therefore, some strategies have been implemented to improve the properties of AMPs aiming to be used as effective therapeutic agents. In the present review, we summarize the discovery path of AMPs, focusing on preclinical development, recent advances in chemical optimization and peptide delivery systems, and their introduction into the market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando A. Rodríguez
- Core Facility for Functional Peptidomics, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Core Unit of Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Maretchia Ghattas
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo (GUC), Cairo 11511, Egypt;
| | - Ludger Ständker
- Core Facility for Functional Peptidomics, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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5
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Ridyard KE, Overhage J. The Potential of Human Peptide LL-37 as an Antimicrobial and Anti-Biofilm Agent. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10060650. [PMID: 34072318 PMCID: PMC8227053 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10060650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The rise in antimicrobial resistant bacteria threatens the current methods utilized to treat bacterial infections. The development of novel therapeutic agents is crucial in avoiding a post-antibiotic era and the associated deaths from antibiotic resistant pathogens. The human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 has been considered as a potential alternative to conventional antibiotics as it displays broad spectrum antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities as well as immunomodulatory functions. While LL-37 has shown promising results, it has yet to receive regulatory approval as a peptide antibiotic. Despite the strong antimicrobial properties, LL-37 has several limitations including high cost, lower activity in physiological environments, susceptibility to proteolytic degradation, and high toxicity to human cells. This review will discuss the challenges associated with making LL-37 into a viable antibiotic treatment option, with a focus on antimicrobial resistance and cross-resistance as well as adaptive responses to sub-inhibitory concentrations of the peptide. The possible methods to overcome these challenges, including immobilization techniques, LL-37 delivery systems, the development of LL-37 derivatives, and synergistic combinations will also be considered. Herein, we describe how combination therapy and structural modifications to the sequence, helicity, hydrophobicity, charge, and configuration of LL-37 could optimize the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activities of LL-37 for future clinical use.
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6
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Siemens N, Snäll J, Svensson M, Norrby-Teglund A. Pathogenic Mechanisms of Streptococcal Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1294:127-150. [PMID: 33079367 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-57616-5_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Necrotizing skin and soft tissue infections (NSTIs) are severe life-threatening and rapidly progressing infections. Beta-hemolytic streptococci, particularly S. pyogenes (group A streptococci (GAS)) but also S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE, most group G and C streptococcus), are the main causative agents of monomicrobial NSTIs and certain types, such as emm1 and emm3, are over-represented in NSTI cases. An arsenal of bacterial virulence factors contribute to disease pathogenesis, which is a complex and multifactorial process. In this chapter, we summarize data that have provided mechanistic and immuno-pathologic insight into host-pathogens interactions that contribute to tissue pathology in streptococcal NSTIs. The role of streptococcal surface associated and secreted factors contributing to the hyper-inflammatory state and immune evasion, bacterial load in the tissue and persistence strategies, including intracellular survival and biofilm formation, as well as strategies to mimic NSTIs in vitro are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolai Siemens
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Infection Biology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Johanna Snäll
- Department of Medicine, Center for Infectious Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Mattias Svensson
- Department of Medicine, Center for Infectious Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Anna Norrby-Teglund
- Department of Medicine, Center for Infectious Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
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7
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Abdi M, Mirkalantari S, Amirmozafari N. Bacterial resistance to antimicrobial peptides. J Pept Sci 2019; 25:e3210. [DOI: 10.1002/psc.3210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Milad Abdi
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of MedicineIran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of MedicineIran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
| | - Shiva Mirkalantari
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of MedicineIran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
| | - Nour Amirmozafari
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of MedicineIran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
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8
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Ly D, Donahue D, Walker MJ, Ploplis VA, McArthur JD, Ranson M, Castellino FJ, Sanderson-Smith ML. Characterizing the role of tissue-type plasminogen activator in a mouse model of Group A streptococcal infection. Microbes Infect 2019; 21:412-417. [PMID: 31009808 PMCID: PMC7707001 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2019.04.004] [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: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Plasmin(ogen) acquisition is critical for invasive disease initiation by Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS). Host urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) plays a role in mediating plasminogen activation for GAS dissemination, however the contribution of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) to GAS virulence is unknown. Using novel tPA-deficient ALBPLG1 mice, our study revealed no difference in mouse survival, bacterial dissemination or the pathology of GAS infection in the absence of tPA in AlbPLG1/tPA-/- mice compared to AlbPLG1 mice. This study suggests that tPA has a limited role in this humanized model of GAS infection, further highlighting the importance of its counterpart uPA in GAS disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Ly
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Deborah Donahue
- W. M. Keck Center for Transgene Research, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | - Mark J Walker
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Victoria A Ploplis
- W. M. Keck Center for Transgene Research, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | - Jason D McArthur
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Marie Ranson
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Francis J Castellino
- W. M. Keck Center for Transgene Research, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | - Martina L Sanderson-Smith
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
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9
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Bouslimani A, da Silva R, Kosciolek T, Janssen S, Callewaert C, Amir A, Dorrestein K, Melnik AV, Zaramela LS, Kim JN, Humphrey G, Schwartz T, Sanders K, Brennan C, Luzzatto-Knaan T, Ackermann G, McDonald D, Zengler K, Knight R, Dorrestein PC. The impact of skin care products on skin chemistry and microbiome dynamics. BMC Biol 2019; 17:47. [PMID: 31189482 PMCID: PMC6560912 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-019-0660-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Use of skin personal care products on a regular basis is nearly ubiquitous, but their effects on molecular and microbial diversity of the skin are unknown. We evaluated the impact of four beauty products (a facial lotion, a moisturizer, a foot powder, and a deodorant) on 11 volunteers over 9 weeks. RESULTS Mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA inventories of the skin revealed decreases in chemical as well as in bacterial and archaeal diversity on halting deodorant use. Specific compounds from beauty products used before the study remain detectable with half-lives of 0.5-1.9 weeks. The deodorant and foot powder increased molecular, bacterial, and archaeal diversity, while arm and face lotions had little effect on bacterial and archaeal but increased chemical diversity. Personal care product effects last for weeks and produce highly individualized responses, including alterations in steroid and pheromone levels and in bacterial and archaeal ecosystem structure and dynamics. CONCLUSIONS These findings may lead to next-generation precision beauty products and therapies for skin disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina Bouslimani
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, San Diego, USA
| | - Ricardo da Silva
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, San Diego, USA
| | - Tomasz Kosciolek
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Stefan Janssen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Department for Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, University Children's Hospital, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Chris Callewaert
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Amnon Amir
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Kathleen Dorrestein
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, San Diego, USA
| | - Alexey V Melnik
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, San Diego, USA
| | - Livia S Zaramela
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Ji-Nu Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Gregory Humphrey
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Tara Schwartz
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Karenina Sanders
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Caitriona Brennan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Tal Luzzatto-Knaan
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, San Diego, USA
| | - Gail Ackermann
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Daniel McDonald
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Karsten Zengler
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92307, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Rob Knight
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92307, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - Pieter C Dorrestein
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, San Diego, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92307, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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Andreoni F, Ugolini F, Keller N, Neff A, Nizet V, Hollands A, Marques Maggio E, Zinkernagel AS, Schuepbach RA. Immunoglobulin Attenuates Streptokinase-Mediated Virulence in Streptococcus dysgalactiae Subspecies equisimilis Necrotizing Fasciitis. J Infect Dis 2019; 217:270-279. [PMID: 29099935 PMCID: PMC7263839 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) retains a very high mortality rate despite prompt and adequate antibiotic treatment and surgical debridement. Necrotizing fasciitis has recently been associated withStreptococcus dysgalactiae subspeciesequisimilis (SDSE). Methods We investigated the causes of a very severe clinical manifestation of SDSE-NF by assessing both host and pathogen factors. Results We found a lack of streptokinase-function blocking antibodies in the patient resulting in increased streptokinase-mediated fibrinolysis and bacterial spread. At the same time, the clinical SDSE isolate produced very high levels of streptokinase. Exogenous immunoglobulin Gs (ex-IgGs) efficiently blocked streptokinase-mediated fibrinolysis in vitro, indicating a protective role against the action of streptokinase. In vivo, SDSE infection severity was also attenuated by ex-IgGs in a NF mouse model. Conclusions These findings illustrate for the first time that the lack of specific antibodies against streptococcal virulence factors, such as streptokinase, may contribute to NF disease severity. This can be counteracted by ex-IgGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Andreoni
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Fabio Ugolini
- Institute of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland.,Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nadia Keller
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrina Neff
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Victor Nizet
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pharmacology and Drug Discovery, San Diego, California.,Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, San Diego, California
| | - Andrew Hollands
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pharmacology and Drug Discovery, San Diego, California
| | - Ewerton Marques Maggio
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Annelies S Zinkernagel
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Reto A Schuepbach
- Institute of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
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11
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Dipeptidylpeptidase IV of Streptococcus suis degrades the porcine antimicrobial peptide PR-39 and neutralizes its biological properties. Microb Pathog 2018; 122:200-206. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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12
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Shurko JF, Galega RS, Li C, Lee GC. Evaluation of LL-37 antimicrobial peptide derivatives alone and in combination with vancomycin against S. aureus. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 2018; 71:971-974. [PMID: 30120393 DOI: 10.1038/s41429-018-0090-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Revised: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections continues to be a challenge due to antimicrobial resistance. Endogenous antimicrobial peptides may offer a new option for treating S. aureus infections but several factors limit their clinical utility. Herein, we studied the activity of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and two truncated derivatives, LL-13 and LL-17 alone and in combination with vancomycin against a range of drug-resistant S. aureus strains including methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin resistant S. aureus (VRSA) strains in vitro. When used with vancomycin, LL-13 and LL-17 displayed synergy against VRSA and showed the ability to restore sensitivity to vancomycin after pretreatment. In addition, LL-13 and LL-17 showed a strong ability to inhibit S. aureus biofilm production. LL-37 derivatives may be useful in treating infections that are resistant to vancomycin or in scenarios where biofilm formation is a concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- James F Shurko
- College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.,Pharmacotherapy Education and Research Center, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Ralph S Galega
- College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Chuxi Li
- College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Grace C Lee
- College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA. .,Pharmacotherapy Education and Research Center, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
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13
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Rox K, Jansen R, Loof TG, Gillen CM, Bernecker S, Walker MJ, Chhatwal GS, Müller R. Linoleic and palmitoleic acid block streptokinase-mediated plasminogen activation and reduce severity of invasive group A streptococcal infection. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11798. [PMID: 28924140 PMCID: PMC5603603 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11276-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In contrast to mild infections of Group A Streptococcus (GAS) invasive infections of GAS still pose a serious health hazard: GAS disseminates from sterile sites into the blood stream or deep tissues and causes sepsis or necrotizing fasciitis. In this case antibiotics do not provide an effective cure as the bacteria are capable to hide from them very quickly. Therefore, new remedies are urgently needed. Starting from a myxobacterial natural products screening campaign, we identified two fatty acids isolated from myxobacteria, linoleic and palmitoleic acid, specifically blocking streptokinase-mediated activation of plasminogen and thereby preventing streptococci from hijacking the host’s plasminogen/plasmin system. This activity is not inherited by other fatty acids such as oleic acid and is not attributable to the killing of streptococci. Moreover, both fatty acids are superior in their inhibitory properties compared to two clinically used drugs (tranexamic or ε-amino caproic acid) as they show 500–1000 fold lower IC50 values. Using a humanized plasminogen mouse model mimicking the clinical situation of a local GAS infection that becomes systemic, we demonstrate that these fatty acids ameliorate invasive GAS infection significantly. Consequently, linoleic and palmitoleic acid are possible new options to combat GAS invasive diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Rox
- Department of Microbial Natural Products, Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany.,Department of Medical Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany.,Central facility for Microscopy, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Braunschweig-Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Rolf Jansen
- Department of Microbial Drugs, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Braunschweig-Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Torsten G Loof
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany.,Infection Immunology Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Christine M Gillen
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Steffen Bernecker
- Department of Microbial Drugs, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Braunschweig-Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Mark J Walker
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gursharan Singh Chhatwal
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Rolf Müller
- Department of Microbial Natural Products, Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany. .,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Braunschweig-Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
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14
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Nitzsche R, Köhler J, Kreikemeyer B, Oehmcke-Hecht S. Streptococcus pyogenes Escapes Killing from Extracellular Histones through Plasminogen Binding and Activation by Streptokinase. J Innate Immun 2016; 8:589-600. [PMID: 27533300 DOI: 10.1159/000448039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Histones are small basic proteins and highly conserved among eukaryotes. Their main function is binding, packaging and organizing of DNA in the nucleus, but extracellular histones are also potent antimicrobial proteins. Here we found that Streptococcus pyogenes - an important human pathogen - protects itself from histone-killing by the acquisition of plasminogen. Plasminogen, bound to the streptococcal surface, efficiently prevents histone-mediated killing. Moreover, the streptokinase/plasminogen complex degrades all classes of histones and abrogates their antibacterial and hemolytic effects. This novel streptokinase-mediated virulence mechanism may contribute to the escape of S. pyogenes from the human innate immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Nitzsche
- University Medicine, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, Rostock University, Rostock, Germany
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15
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The Fibrinolytic System in the Interstitial Space. Protein Sci 2016. [DOI: 10.1201/9781315374307-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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16
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Joo HS, Fu CI, Otto M. Bacterial strategies of resistance to antimicrobial peptides. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:20150292. [PMID: 27160595 PMCID: PMC4874390 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 205] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a key component of the host's innate immune system, targeting invasive and colonizing bacteria. For successful survival and colonization of the host, bacteria have a series of mechanisms to interfere with AMP activity, and AMP resistance is intimately connected with the virulence potential of bacterial pathogens. In particular, because AMPs are considered as potential novel antimicrobial drugs, it is vital to understand bacterial AMP resistance mechanisms. This review gives a comparative overview of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strategies of resistance to various AMPs, such as repulsion or sequestration by bacterial surface structures, alteration of membrane charge or fluidity, degradation and removal by efflux pumps.This article is part of the themed issue 'Evolutionary ecology of arthropod antimicrobial peptides'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwang-Soo Joo
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Chih-Iung Fu
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Michael Otto
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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17
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Joo HS, Fu CI, Otto M. Bacterial strategies of resistance to antimicrobial peptides. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016. [PMID: 27160595 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0292.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a key component of the host's innate immune system, targeting invasive and colonizing bacteria. For successful survival and colonization of the host, bacteria have a series of mechanisms to interfere with AMP activity, and AMP resistance is intimately connected with the virulence potential of bacterial pathogens. In particular, because AMPs are considered as potential novel antimicrobial drugs, it is vital to understand bacterial AMP resistance mechanisms. This review gives a comparative overview of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strategies of resistance to various AMPs, such as repulsion or sequestration by bacterial surface structures, alteration of membrane charge or fluidity, degradation and removal by efflux pumps.This article is part of the themed issue 'Evolutionary ecology of arthropod antimicrobial peptides'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwang-Soo Joo
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Chih-Iung Fu
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Michael Otto
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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18
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Uhlmann J, Rohde M, Siemens N, Kreikemeyer B, Bergman P, Johansson L, Norrby-Teglund A. LL-37 Triggers Formation of Streptococcus pyogenes Extracellular Vesicle-Like Structures with Immune Stimulatory Properties. J Innate Immun 2015; 8:243-57. [PMID: 26641861 DOI: 10.1159/000441896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Reports have shown that the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 is abundantly expressed but has limited bactericidal effect in Streptococcus pyogenes infections. At sub-inhibitory concentrations, LL-37 has been reported to alter virulence gene expression. Here, we explored the interaction of S. pyogenes strains with LL-37, focusing on bacterial growth, cell surface alterations and pro-inflammatory responses. Bioscreen turbidity measurements of strain 5448 cultured in the presence or absence of LL-37 confirmed the poor antimicrobial effect, and revealed a significant increase in turbidity of bacterial cultures exposed to sub-inhibitory concentrations of LL-37. However, this was not linked to increased bacterial counts. Electron microscopy of LL-37-exposed bacteria revealed the presence of vesicle-like structures on the bacterial surface. The vesicles stained positive for LL-37 and were released from the bacterial surface. Concentrated supernatants enriched in these structures had a broader protein content, including several virulence factors, compared to supernatants from untreated bacteria. The supernatants from LL-37-exposed bacteria were pro-inflammatory and elicited resistin and myeloperoxidase release from neutrophils. This is the first report on S. pyogenes extracellular vesicle-like structures formed at the bacterial surface in response to LL-37. The associated increased pro-inflammatory activity further implicates LL-37 as a potential factor involved in S. pyogenes pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Uhlmann
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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19
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Wang AY, González-Páez GE, Wolan DW. Identification and Co-complex Structure of a New S. pyogenes SpeB Small Molecule Inhibitor. Biochemistry 2015; 54:4365-73. [PMID: 26132413 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The secreted Streptococcus pyogenes cysteine protease SpeB is implicated in host immune system evasion and bacterial virulence. We present a small molecule inhibitor of SpeB 2477 identified from a high-throughput screen based on the hydrolysis of a fluorogenic peptide substrate Ac-AIK-AMC. 2477 inhibits other SpeB-related proteases but not human caspase-3, suggesting that the molecule targets proteases with the papain-like structural fold. A 1.59 Å X-ray crystal structure of 2477 bound to the SpeB active site reveals the mechanism of inhibition and the essential constituents of 2477 necessary for binding. An assessment against a panel of 2477 derivatives confirms our structural findings and shows that a carbamate and nitrile on 2477 are required for SpeB inhibition, as these moieties provide an extensive network of electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions with SpeB active site residues. Surprisingly, despite 2477 having a reduced inhibitory potential against papain, the majority of 2477-related compounds inhibit papain to a much greater and broader extent than SpeB. These findings indicate that SpeB is more stringently selective than papain for this panel of small molecule inhibitors. On the basis of our structural and biochemical characterization, we propose modifications to 2477 for subsequent rounds of inhibitor design that will impart specificity to SpeB over other papain-like proteases, including alterations of the compound to exploit the differences in CA protease active site pocket sizes and electrostatics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Y Wang
- Departments of Molecular and Experimental Medicine and Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Gonzalo E González-Páez
- Departments of Molecular and Experimental Medicine and Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Dennis W Wolan
- Departments of Molecular and Experimental Medicine and Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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20
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LaRock CN, Nizet V. Cationic antimicrobial peptide resistance mechanisms of streptococcal pathogens. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2015; 1848:3047-54. [PMID: 25701232 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Revised: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) are critical front line contributors to host defense against invasive bacterial infection. These immune factors have direct killing activity toward microbes, but many pathogens are able to resist their effects. Group A Streptococcus, group B Streptococcus and Streptococcus pneumoniae are among the most common pathogens of humans and display a variety of phenotypic adaptations to resist CAMPs. Common themes of CAMP resistance mechanisms among the pathogenic streptococci are repulsion, sequestration, export, and destruction. Each pathogen has a different array of CAMP-resistant mechanisms, with invasive disease potential reflecting the utilization of several mechanisms that may act in synergy. Here we discuss recent progress in identifying the sources of CAMP resistance in the medically important Streptococcus genus. Further study of these mechanisms can contribute to our understanding of streptococcal pathogenesis, and may provide new therapeutic targets for therapy and disease prevention. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Bacterial Resistance to Antimicrobial Peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher N LaRock
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Victor Nizet
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Skaggs School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA, USA.
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21
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Joo HS, Otto M. Mechanisms of resistance to antimicrobial peptides in staphylococci. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2015; 1848:3055-61. [PMID: 25701233 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Revised: 02/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococci are commensal bacteria living on the epithelial surfaces of humans and other mammals. Many staphylococci, including the dangerous pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, can cause severe disease when they breach the epithelial barrier. Both during their commensal life and during infection, staphylococci need to evade mechanisms of innate host defense, of which antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) play a key role in particular on the skin. Mechanisms that staphylococci have developed to evade the bactericidal activity of AMPs are manifold, comprising repulsion of AMPs via alteration of cell wall and membrane surface charges, proteolytic inactivation, sequestration, and secretion. Furthermore, many staphylococci form biofilms, which represents an additional way of protection from antimicrobial agents, including AMPs. Finally, staphylococci can sense the presence of AMPs by sensor/regulator systems that control many of those resistance mechanisms. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Bacterial Resistance to Antimicrobial Peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwang-Soo Joo
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael Otto
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.
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22
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Heimlich DR, Harrison A, Mason KM. Host Antimicrobial Peptides in Bacterial Homeostasis and Pathogenesis of Disease. Antibiotics (Basel) 2014; 3:645-76. [PMID: 26029470 PMCID: PMC4448142 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics3040645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Revised: 11/05/2014] [Accepted: 11/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Innate immune responses function as a first line of host defense against the development of bacterial infection, and in some cases to preserve the sterility of privileged sites in the human host. Bacteria that enter these sites must counter host responses for colonization. From the host's perspective, the innate immune system works expeditiously to minimize the bacterial threat before colonization and subsequent dysbiosis. The multifactorial nature of disease further challenges predictions of how each independent variable influences bacterial pathogenesis. From bacterial colonization to infection and through disease, the microenvironments of the host are in constant flux as bacterial and host factors contribute to changes at the host-pathogen interface, with the host attempting to eradicate bacteria and the bacteria fighting to maintain residency. A key component of this innate host response towards bacterial infection is the production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). As an early component of the host response, AMPs modulate bacterial load and prevent establishment of infection. Under quiescent conditions, some AMPs are constitutively expressed by the epithelium. Bacterial infection can subsequently induce production of other AMPs in an effort to maintain sterility, or to restrict colonization. As demonstrated in various studies, the absence of a single AMP can influence pathogenesis, highlighting the importance of AMP concentration in maintaining homeostasis. Yet, AMPs can increase bacterial virulence through the co-opting of the peptides or alteration of bacterial virulence gene expression. Further, bacterial factors used to subvert AMPs can modify host microenvironments and alter colonization of the residential flora that principally maintain homeostasis. Thus, the dynamic interplay between host defense peptides and bacterial factors produced to quell peptide activity play a critical role in the progression and outcome of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek R. Heimlich
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Columbus, OH 43205, USA; E-Mails: (D.R.H.); (A.H.)
| | - Alistair Harrison
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Columbus, OH 43205, USA; E-Mails: (D.R.H.); (A.H.)
| | - Kevin M. Mason
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Columbus, OH 43205, USA; E-Mails: (D.R.H.); (A.H.)
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
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23
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Velarde JJ, Ashbaugh M, Wessels MR. The human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 binds directly to CsrS, a sensor histidine kinase of group A Streptococcus, to activate expression of virulence factors. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:36315-24. [PMID: 25378408 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.605394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) responds to subinhibitory concentrations of LL-37 by up-regulation of virulence factors through the CsrRS (CovRS) two-component system. The signaling mechanism, however, is unclear. To determine whether LL-37 signaling reflects specific binding to CsrS or rather a nonspecific response to LL-37-mediated membrane damage, we tested LL-37 fragments for CsrRS signaling and for GAS antimicrobial activity. We identified a 10-residue fragment (RI-10) of LL-37 as the minimal peptide that retains the ability to signal increased expression of GAS virulence factors, yet it has no detectable antimicrobial activity against GAS. Substitution of individual key amino acids in RI-10 reduced or abrogated signaling. These data do not support the hypothesis that CsrS detects LL-37-induced damage to the bacterial cell membrane but rather suggest that LL-37 signaling is mediated by a direct interaction with CsrS. To test whether LL-37 binds to CsrS, we used the purified CsrS extracellular domain to pull down LL-37 in vitro, a result that provides further evidence that LL-37 binds to CsrS. The dissociation of CsrS-mediated signaling from membrane damage by LL-37 fragments together with in vitro evidence for a direct LL-37-CsrS binding interaction constitute compelling evidence that signal transduction by LL-37 through CsrS reflects a direct ligand/receptor interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge J Velarde
- From the Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Melissa Ashbaugh
- From the Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Michael R Wessels
- From the Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
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24
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Increasing disease caused by beta-haemolytic streptococci indicates the need for improved understanding of pathogenesis. RECENT FINDINGS Streptococcus pyogenes, or group A Streptococcus (GAS), causes significant disease worldwide. The closely related Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (SDSE) is increasingly recognized as causing a similar disease spectrum. Whole-genome sequencing applied to the study of outbreaks may reveal factors that contribute to pathogenesis and changes in epidemiology. The role of quorum sensing in biofilm formation, and interspecies communication with other streptococci, is discussed. GAS has evolved multiple mechanisms to evade the humoral arm of innate immunity, including complement, which is well known in protecting the host from bacteria, and the coagulation-fibrinolytic system, which is increasingly recognized as an innate immune effector. SUMMARY Molecular biology has enhanced our understanding of the intricate balance of host-pathogen interactions that result in clearance or establishment of invasive streptococcal infection. Although the skin and oropharynx remain the usual ecological niche of GAS and SDSE, occasionally the bacteria find themselves within deeper tissues and blood. Recent research has armed us with better knowledge of bacterial adaptations to this alternative environment. However, the challenge is to translate this knowledge into clinical practice, through the development of novel therapeutic options and ultimately a vaccine against GAS.
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25
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Loof TG, Deicke C, Medina E. The role of coagulation/fibrinolysis during Streptococcus pyogenes infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2014; 4:128. [PMID: 25309880 PMCID: PMC4161043 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2014] [Accepted: 08/27/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The hemostatic system comprises platelet aggregation, coagulation and fibrinolysis and is a host defense mechanism that protects the integrity of the vascular system after tissue injury. During bacterial infections, the coagulation system cooperates with the inflammatory system to eliminate the invading pathogens. However, pathogenic bacteria have frequently evolved mechanisms to exploit the hemostatic system components for their own benefit. Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as Group A Streptococcus, provides a remarkable example of the extraordinary capacity of pathogens to exploit the host hemostatic system to support microbial survival and dissemination. The coagulation cascade comprises the contact system (also known as the intrinsic pathway) and the tissue factor pathway (also known as the extrinsic pathway), both leading to fibrin formation. During the early phase of S. pyogenes infection, the activation of the contact system eventually leads to bacterial entrapment within a fibrin clot, where S. pyogenes is immobilized and killed. However, entrapped S. pyogenes can circumvent the antimicrobial effect of the clot by sequestering host plasminogen on the bacterial cell surface that, after conversion into its active proteolytic form, plasmin, degrades the fibrin network and facilitates the liberation of S. pyogenes from the clot. Furthermore, the surface-localized fibrinolytic activity also cleaves a variety of extracellular matrix proteins, thereby enabling S. pyogenes to migrate across barriers and disseminate within the host. This review summarizes the knowledge gained during the last two decades on the role of coagulation/fibrinolysis in host defense against S. pyogenes as well as the strategies developed by this pathogen to evade and exploit these host mechanisms for its own benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torsten G Loof
- Infection Immunology Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Christin Deicke
- Infection Immunology Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Eva Medina
- Infection Immunology Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research Braunschweig, Germany
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26
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Sol A, Skvirsky Y, Nashef R, Zelentsova K, Burstyn-Cohen T, Blotnick E, Muhlrad A, Bachrach G. Actin enables the antimicrobial action of LL-37 peptide in the presence of microbial proteases. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:22926-22941. [PMID: 24947511 PMCID: PMC4132794 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.579672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Host defense peptides play an important host-protective role by their microcidal action, immunomodulatory functions, and tissue repair activities. Proteolysis is a common strategy of pathogens used to neutralize host defense peptides. Here, we show that actin, the most abundant structural protein in eukaryotes, binds the LL-37 host defense peptide, protects it from degradation by the proteases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Porphyromonas gingivalis, and enables its antimicrobial activity despite the presence of the proteases. Co-localization of LL-37 with extracellular actin was observed in necrotized regions of samples from oral lesions. Competition assays, cross-linking experiments, limited proteolysis, and mass spectrometry revealed that LL-37 binds by specific hydrophobic interactions to the His-40-Lys-50 segment of actin, located in the DNase I binding loop. The integrity of the binding site of both LL-37 and actin is a prerequisite to the binding. Our results demonstrate that actin, presumably released by dead cells and abundant in infected sites, might be utilized by the immune system to enhance spatio-temporal immunity in an attempt to arrest infection and control inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asaf Sol
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Yaniv Skvirsky
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Rizan Nashef
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine and Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Katya Zelentsova
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Tal Burstyn-Cohen
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Edna Blotnick
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research-Israel-Canada, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Andras Muhlrad
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Gilad Bachrach
- Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.
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27
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Role for streptococcal collagen-like protein 1 in M1T1 group A Streptococcus resistance to neutrophil extracellular traps. Infect Immun 2014; 82:4011-20. [PMID: 25024366 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01921-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcal collagen-like protein 1 (Scl-1) is one of the most highly expressed proteins in the invasive M1T1 serotype group A Streptococcus (GAS), a globally disseminated clone associated with higher risk of severe invasive infections. Previous studies using recombinant Scl-1 protein suggested a role in cell attachment and binding and inhibition of serum proteins. Here, we studied the contribution of Scl-1 to the virulence of the M1T1 clone in the physiological context of the live bacterium by generating an isogenic strain lacking the scl-1 gene. Upon subcutaneous infection in mice, wild-type bacteria induced larger lesions than the Δscl mutant. However, loss of Scl-1 did not alter bacterial adherence to or invasion of skin keratinocytes. We found instead that Scl-1 plays a critical role in GAS resistance to human and murine phagocytic cells, allowing the bacteria to persist at the site of infection. Phenotypic analyses demonstrated that Scl-1 mediates bacterial survival in neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and protects GAS from antimicrobial peptides found within the NETs. Additionally, Scl-1 interferes with myeloperoxidase (MPO) release, a prerequisite for NET production, thereby suppressing NET formation. We conclude that Scl-1 is a virulence determinant in the M1T1 GAS clone, allowing GAS to subvert innate immune functions that are critical in clearing bacterial infections.
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Okumura CYM, Nizet V. Subterfuge and sabotage: evasion of host innate defenses by invasive gram-positive bacterial pathogens. Annu Rev Microbiol 2014; 68:439-58. [PMID: 25002085 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-092412-155711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The development of a severe invasive bacterial infection in an otherwise healthy individual is one of the most striking and fascinating aspects of human medicine. A small cadre of gram-positive pathogens of the genera Streptococcus and Staphylococcus stand out for their unique invasive disease potential and sophisticated ability to counteract the multifaceted components of human innate defense. This review illustrates how these leading human disease agents evade host complement deposition and activation, impede phagocyte recruitment and activation, resist the microbicidal activities of host antimicrobial peptides and reactive oxygen species, escape neutrophil extracellular traps, and promote and accelerate phagocyte cell death through the action of pore-forming cytolysins. Understanding the molecular basis of bacterial innate immune resistance can open new avenues for therapeutic intervention geared to disabling specific virulence factors and resensitizing the pathogen to host innate immune clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Y M Okumura
- Department of Biology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California 90041;
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29
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Disease manifestations and pathogenic mechanisms of Group A Streptococcus. Clin Microbiol Rev 2014. [PMID: 24696436 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00101-13)] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as group A Streptococcus (GAS), causes mild human infections such as pharyngitis and impetigo and serious infections such as necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Furthermore, repeated GAS infections may trigger autoimmune diseases, including acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, acute rheumatic fever, and rheumatic heart disease. Combined, these diseases account for over half a million deaths per year globally. Genomic and molecular analyses have now characterized a large number of GAS virulence determinants, many of which exhibit overlap and redundancy in the processes of adhesion and colonization, innate immune resistance, and the capacity to facilitate tissue barrier degradation and spread within the human host. This improved understanding of the contribution of individual virulence determinants to the disease process has led to the formulation of models of GAS disease progression, which may lead to better treatment and intervention strategies. While GAS remains sensitive to all penicillins and cephalosporins, rising resistance to other antibiotics used in disease treatment is an increasing worldwide concern. Several GAS vaccine formulations that elicit protective immunity in animal models have shown promise in nonhuman primate and early-stage human trials. The development of a safe and efficacious commercial human vaccine for the prophylaxis of GAS disease remains a high priority.
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30
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Walker MJ, Barnett TC, McArthur JD, Cole JN, Gillen CM, Henningham A, Sriprakash KS, Sanderson-Smith ML, Nizet V. Disease manifestations and pathogenic mechanisms of Group A Streptococcus. Clin Microbiol Rev 2014; 27:264-301. [PMID: 24696436 PMCID: PMC3993104 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00101-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 545] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as group A Streptococcus (GAS), causes mild human infections such as pharyngitis and impetigo and serious infections such as necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Furthermore, repeated GAS infections may trigger autoimmune diseases, including acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, acute rheumatic fever, and rheumatic heart disease. Combined, these diseases account for over half a million deaths per year globally. Genomic and molecular analyses have now characterized a large number of GAS virulence determinants, many of which exhibit overlap and redundancy in the processes of adhesion and colonization, innate immune resistance, and the capacity to facilitate tissue barrier degradation and spread within the human host. This improved understanding of the contribution of individual virulence determinants to the disease process has led to the formulation of models of GAS disease progression, which may lead to better treatment and intervention strategies. While GAS remains sensitive to all penicillins and cephalosporins, rising resistance to other antibiotics used in disease treatment is an increasing worldwide concern. Several GAS vaccine formulations that elicit protective immunity in animal models have shown promise in nonhuman primate and early-stage human trials. The development of a safe and efficacious commercial human vaccine for the prophylaxis of GAS disease remains a high priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J. Walker
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and the Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Timothy C. Barnett
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and the Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jason D. McArthur
- School of Biological Sciences and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Jason N. Cole
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and the Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Department of Pediatrics and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Christine M. Gillen
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and the Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Anna Henningham
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and the Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Department of Pediatrics and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - K. S. Sriprakash
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Martina L. Sanderson-Smith
- School of Biological Sciences and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Victor Nizet
- Department of Pediatrics and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA
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31
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Fulde M, Steinert M, Bergmann S. Interaction of streptococcal plasminogen binding proteins with the host fibrinolytic system. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2013; 3:85. [PMID: 24319673 PMCID: PMC3837353 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2013.00085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2013] [Accepted: 11/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to take advantage of plasminogen and its activated form plasmin is a common mechanism used by commensal as well as pathogenic bacteria in interaction with their respective host. Hence, a huge variety of plasminogen binding proteins and activation mechanisms exist. This review solely focuses on the genus Streptococcus and, in particular, on the so-called non-activating plasminogen binding proteins. Based on structural and functional differences, as well as on their mode of surface linkaging, three groups can be assigned: M-(like) proteins, surface displayed cytoplasmatic proteins with enzymatic activities (“moonlighting proteins”) and other surface proteins. Here, the plasminogen binding sites and the interaction mechanisms are compared. Recent findings on the functional consequences of these interactions on tissue degradation and immune evasion are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Fulde
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Hannover Medical School Hannover, Germany
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32
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Ly D, Taylor JM, Tsatsaronis JA, Monteleone MM, Skora AS, Donald CA, Maddocks T, Nizet V, West NP, Ranson M, Walker MJ, McArthur JD, Sanderson-Smith ML. Plasmin(ogen) acquisition by group A Streptococcus protects against C3b-mediated neutrophil killing. J Innate Immun 2013; 6:240-50. [PMID: 23969887 DOI: 10.1159/000353754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The globally significant human pathogen group A Streptococcus (GAS) sequesters the host protease plasmin to the cell surface during invasive disease initiation. Recent evidence has shown that localized plasmin activity prevents opsonization of several bacterial species by key components of the innate immune system in vitro. Here we demonstrate that plasmin at the GAS cell surface resulted in degradation of complement factor C3b, and that plasminogen acquisition is associated with a decrease in C3b opsonization and neutrophil-mediated killing in vitro. Furthermore, the ability to acquire cell surface plasmin(ogen) correlates directly with a decrease in C3b opsonization, neutrophil phagocytosis, and increased bacterial survival in a humanized plasminogen mouse model of infection. These findings demonstrate that localized plasmin(ogen) plays an important role in facilitating GAS escape from the host innate immune response and increases bacterial virulence in the early stages of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Ly
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, N.S.W., Australia
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33
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Oxygen deprivation affects the antimicrobial action of LL-37 as determined by microplate real-time kinetic measurements under anaerobic conditions. Anaerobe 2013; 22:20-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2013.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2013] [Revised: 03/07/2013] [Accepted: 04/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Geörg M, Maudsdotter L, Tavares R, Jonsson AB. Meningococcal resistance to antimicrobial peptides is mediated by bacterial adhesion and host cell RhoA and Cdc42 signalling. Cell Microbiol 2013; 15:1938-54. [PMID: 23834289 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2013] [Revised: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 06/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute an essential part of the innate immune defence. Pathogenic bacteria have evolved numerous strategies to withstand AMP-mediated killing. The influence of host epithelia on bacterial AMP resistance is, however, still largely unknown. We found that adhesion to pharyngeal epithelial cells protected Neisseria meningitidis, a leading cause of meningitis and sepsis, from the human cathelicidin LL-37, the cationic model amphipathic peptide (MAP) and the peptaibol alamethicin, but not from polymyxin B. Adhesion to primary airway epithelia resulted in a similar increase in LL-37 resistance. The inhibition of selective host cell signalling mediated by RhoA and Cdc42 was found to abolish the adhesion-induced LL-37 resistance by a mechanism unrelated to the actin cytoskeleton. Moreover, N. meningitidis triggered the formation of cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains in pharyngeal epithelial cells, and host cell cholesterol proved to be essential for adhesion-induced resistance. Our data highlight the importance of Rho GTPase-dependent host cell signalling for meningococcal AMP resistance. These results indicate that N. meningitidis selectively exploits the epithelial microenvironment in order to protect itself from LL-37.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Geörg
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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Sanderson-Smith ML, Zhang Y, Ly D, Donahue D, Hollands A, Nizet V, Ranson M, Ploplis VA, Walker MJ, Castellino FJ. A key role for the urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) in invasive Group A streptococcal infection. PLoS Pathog 2013; 9:e1003469. [PMID: 23853591 PMCID: PMC3701706 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2012] [Accepted: 05/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Recruitment of the serine protease plasmin is central to the pathogenesis of many bacterial species, including Group A streptococcus (GAS), a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. A key process in invasive GAS disease is the ability to accumulate plasmin at the cell surface, however the role of host activators of plasminogen in this process is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) contributes to plasmin recruitment and subsequent invasive disease initiation in vivo. In the absence of a source of host plasminogen activators, streptokinase (Ska) was required to facilitate cell surface plasmin acquisition by GAS. However, in the absence of Ska, host activators were sufficient to promote cell surface plasmin acquisition by GAS strain 5448 during incubation with plasminogen or human plasma. Furthermore, GAS were able mediate a significant increase in the activation of zymogen pro-uPA in human plasma. In order to assess the contribution of uPA to invasive GAS disease, a previously undescribed transgenic mouse model of infection was employed. Both C57/black 6J, and AlbPLG1 mice expressing the human plasminogen transgene, were significantly more susceptible to invasive GAS disease than uPA−/− mice. The observed decrease in virulence in uPA−/−mice was found to correlate directly with a decrease in bacterial dissemination and reduced cell surface plasmin accumulation by GAS. These findings have significant implications for our understanding of GAS pathogenesis, and research aimed at therapeutic targeting of plasminogen activation in invasive bacterial infections. Subversion of the host fibrinolytic system by bacterial pathogens is recognised as a key process in severe disease initiation. Co-opting of plasmin by bacteria contributes to tissue destruction and bacterial dissemination, both hallmarks of invasive Group A streptococcal disease, and research aimed at therapeutic targeting of the nexus between group A streptococcus and the fibrinolytic system is increasing. The host plasminogen activator uPA is found at the surface of cells that contribute to epithelial and innate immune defense against bacterial infection, and may contribute to bacterial recruitment of plasmin, however, the role of uPA in group A streptococcal infection is not well characterised. Here, we describe for the first time the key role played by uPA in invasive group A streptococcal disease. The ability of this pathogen to cause severe infection, even in the absence of the bacterial plasminogen activator streptokinase, has significant implications for the development of therapeutics to control invasive bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina L Sanderson-Smith
- Ilawarra Health and Medical Research Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
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