3 research outputs found
Deciphering the protein interaction in adhesion of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica to the endothelial cells
Extracellular form of
Francisella
is able to cross various cell barriers and invade multiple organs, such as
skin, liver, lung and central nervous system. Transient adhesion of
Francisella
to endothelial cells may
trigger the process of translocation. In this report, we showed that
Francisella tularensis
subsp.
holarctica
(
Fth
) is able to adhere to the endothelial cells, while ICAM-1 may serve as an adhesion molecule for
Fth
.
Pull down and af
fi
nity ligand binding assays indicated that the PilE4 could be the probable ligand for
ICAM-1. Further deciphering of this ligand:receptor interaction revealed that PilE4 interacts with Ig-like
C2-type 1 domain of ICAM-1. To corroborate the role of PilE4 and ICAM-1 interaction in adhesion of
extracellular form of
Fth
to endothelial cells, ICAM-1 was blocked with monoclonal anti-ICAM-1 antibody
prior to the incubation with
Fth
and numbers of adherent bacteria were counted. Blocking of the ICAM-1
signi
fi
cantly reduced (500
e
fold, P
<
0.05) number of adherent
Fth
compared to unblocked cells.
PilE4:ICAM-1 interaction unfolded here may provide a new perspective on molecules involved in the
adhesion of extracellular form of
Francisella
to endothelial cells and probably its translocation across
endothelial barriers