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Emergence of a bacterial clone with enhanced virulence by acquisition of a phage encoding a secreted phospholipase A2.

ABSTRACT: The molecular basis of pathogen clone emergence is relatively poorly understood. Acquisition of a bacteriophage encoding a previously unknown secreted phospholipase A(2) (designated SlaA) has been implicated in the rapid emergence in the mid-1980s of a new hypervirulent clone of serotype M3 group A Streptococcus. Although several lines of circumstantial evidence suggest that SlaA is a virulence factor, this issue has not been addressed experimentally. We found that an isogenic DeltaslaA mutant strain was significantly impaired in ability to adhere to and kill human epithelial cells compared with the wild-type parental strain. The mutant strain was less virulent for mice than the wild-type strain, and immunization with purified SlaA significantly protected mice from invasive disease. Importantly, the mutant strain was significantly attenuated for colonization in a monkey model of pharyngitis. We conclude that transductional acquisition of the ability of a GAS strain to produce SlaA enhanced the spread and virulence of the serotype M3 precursor strain. Hence, these studies identified a crucial molecular event underlying the evolution, rapid emergence, and widespread dissemination of unusually severe human infections caused by a distinct bacterial clone.

SUBMITTER: Sitkiewicz I

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1635118 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Emergence of a bacterial clone with enhanced virulence by acquisition of a phage encoding a secreted phospholipase A2.

Sitkiewicz Izabela I Nagiec Michal J MJ Sumby Paul P Butler Stephanie D SD Cywes-Bentley Colette C Musser James M JM

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20061016 43

The molecular basis of pathogen clone emergence is relatively poorly understood. Acquisition of a bacteriophage encoding a previously unknown secreted phospholipase A(2) (designated SlaA) has been implicated in the rapid emergence in the mid-1980s of a new hypervirulent clone of serotype M3 group A Streptococcus. Although several lines of circumstantial evidence suggest that SlaA is a virulence factor, this issue has not been addressed experimentally. We found that an isogenic DeltaslaA mutant s ...[more]

PMID: 17043230

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Phospholipase A2s mediate the rate-limiting step in the formation of eicosanoids such as cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs). Group IVA cytosolic PLA2? (cPLA2?) is thought to be the dominant PLA2 in eosinophils; however, eosinophils also have secreted PLA2 (sPLA2) activity that has not been fully defined. OBJECTIVES:To examine the expression of sPLA2 group X (sPLA2-X) in eosinophils, the participation of sPLA2-X in the formation of CysLTs, and the mechanism by which sPLA2-X initiates the synthesis of CysLTs in eosinophils. METHODS:Peripheral blood eosinophils were obtained from volunteers with asthma and/or allergy. A rabbit polyclonal anti-sPLA2-X antibody identified sPLA2-X by Western blot. We used confocal microscopy to colocalize the sPLA2-X to intracellular structures. An inhibitor of sPLA2-X (ROC-0929) that does not inhibit other mammalian sPLA2s, as well as inhibitors of the mitogen-activated kinase cascade (MAPK) and cPLA2?, was used to examine the mechanism of N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP)-mediated formation of CysLT. RESULTS:Eosinophils express the mammalian sPLA2-X gene (PLA2G10). The sPLA2-X protein is located in the endoplasmic reticulum, golgi, and granules of eosinophils and moves to the granules and lipid bodies during fMLP-mediated activation. Selective sPLA2-X inhibition attenuated the fMLP-mediated release of arachidonic acid and CysLT formation by eosinophils. Inhibitors of p38, extracellular-signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (p44/42 MAPK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and cPLA2? also attenuated the fMLP-mediated formation of CysLT. The sPLA2-X inhibitor reduced the phosphorylation of p38 and extracellular-signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (p44/42 MAPK) as well as cPLA2? during cellular activation, indicating that sPLA2-X is involved in activating the MAPK cascade leading to the formation of CysLT via cPLA2?. We further demonstrate that sPLA2-X is activated before secretion from the cell during activation. Short-term priming with IL-13 and TNF/IL-1? increased the expression of PLA2G10 by eosinophils. CONCLUSIONS:These results demonstrate that sPLA2-X plays a significant role in the formation of CysLTs by human eosinophils. The predominant role of the enzyme is the regulation of MAPK activation that leads to the phosphorylation of cPLA2?. The sPLA2-X protein is regulated by proteolytic cleavage, suggesting that an inflammatory environment may promote the formation of CysLTs through this mechanism. These results have important implications for the treatment of eosinophilic disorders such as asthma.

Dataset Information

Emergence of a bacterial clone with enhanced virulence by acquisition of a phage encoding a secreted phospholipase A2.

Publications

Emergence of a bacterial clone with enhanced virulence by acquisition of a phage encoding a secreted phospholipase A2.

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