Open AccessMeningococcal adhesion suppresses proapoptotic gene expression and promotes expression of genes supporting early embryonic and cytoprotective signaling of human endothelial cells
Author(s) -
Linhartova Irena,
Basler Marek,
Ichikawa Jeffrey,
Pelicic Vladimir,
Osicka Radim,
Lory Stephen,
Nassif Xavier,
Sebo Peter
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2006.00407.x
Subject(s) - biology , microbiology and biotechnology , signal transduction , neisseria meningitidis , smad , cell adhesion , wnt signaling pathway , adherens junction , gene expression , gene , apoptosis , cell , cadherin , genetics , bacteria
Neisseria meningitidis colonizes the human nasopharynx and occasionally causes lethal or damaging septicemia and meningitis. Here, we examined the adherence‐mediated signaling of meningococci to human cells by comparing gene expression profiles of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) infected by adherent wild‐type, frpC ‐deficient mutant, or the nonadherent (ΔpilD) N. meningitidis . Pili‐mediated adhesion of meningococci resulted in alterations of expression levels of human genes known to regulate apoptosis, cell proliferation, inflammatory response, adhesion and genes for signaling pathway proteins such as TGF‐β/Smad, Wnt/β‐catenin and Notch/Jagged. This reveals that adhering piliated meningocci manipulate host signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation while establishing a commensal relationship.