Open AccessSurvival and Intra-Nuclear Trafficking of Burkholderia pseudomallei: Strategies of Evasion from Immune Surveillance?
Author(s) -
Jamuna Vadivelu,
Kumutha Malar Vellasamy,
J. Thimma,
Vanitha Mariappan,
Wen-Tyng Kang,
Leang-Chung Choh,
Esaki M. Shankar,
Kum Thong Wong
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
plos neglected tropical diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.99
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1935-2735
pISSN - 1935-2727
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005241
Subject(s) - burkholderia pseudomallei , melioidosis , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , immune system , spleen , a549 cell , virology , immunology , bacteria , cell culture , genetics
Background During infection, successful bacterial clearance is achieved via the host immune system acting in conjunction with appropriate antibiotic therapy. However, it still remains a tip of the iceberg as to where persistent pathogens namely, Burkholderia pseudomallei ( B . pseudomallei ) reside/hide to escape from host immune sensors and antimicrobial pressure. Methods We used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to investigate post-mortem tissue sections of patients with clinical melioidosis to identify the localisation of a recently identified gut microbiome, B . pseudomallei within host cells. The intranuclear presence of B . pseudomallei was confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of experimentally infected guinea pig spleen tissues and Live Z-stack, and ImageJ analysis of fluorescence microscopy analysis of in vitro infection of A549 human lung epithelial cells. Results TEM investigations revealed intranuclear localization of B . pseudomallei in cells of infected human lung and guinea pig spleen tissues. We also found that B . pseudomallei induced actin polymerization following infection of A549 human lung epithelial cells. Infected A549 lung epithelial cells using 3D-Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and immunofluorescence microscopy confirmed the intranuclear localization of B . pseudomallei . Conclusion B . pseudomallei was found within the nuclear compartment of host cells. The nucleus may play a role as an occult or transient niche for persistence of intracellular pathogens, potentially leading to recurrrent episodes or recrudescence of infection.