Open AccessMeningococcal disease: A paradigm of type‐IV pilus dependent pathogenesis
Author(s) -
dos Santos Souza Isabel,
Maïssa Nawal,
Ziveri Jason,
Morand Philippe C.,
Coureuil Mathieu,
Nassif Xavier,
Bourdoulous Sandrine
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
cellular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.542
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1462-5822
pISSN - 1462-5814
DOI - 10.1111/cmi.13185
Subject(s) - pilus , neisseria meningitidis , pathogenesis , purpura fulminans , virulence , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , meningococcal disease , immunology , meningitis , neisseria , virology , medicine , bacteria , gene , genetics , dermatology , psychiatry
Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) is a Gram‐negative bacterium responsible for two devastating forms of invasive diseases: purpura fulminans and meningitis. Interaction with both peripheral and cerebral microvascular endothelial cells is at the heart of meningococcal pathogenesis. During the last two decades, an essential role for meningococcal type IV pili in vascular colonisation and disease progression has been unravelled. This review summarises 20 years of research on meningococcal type IV pilus‐dependent virulence mechanisms, up to the identification of promising anti‐virulence compounds that target type IV pili.