title: E-cadherin is the receptor for internalin, a surface protein required for entry of L. monocytogenes into epithelial cells.
abstract: We report the first identification of a cellular receptor mediating entry of a gram-positive bacterium into nonphagocytotic cells. By an affinity chromatography approach, we identified E-cadherin as the ligand for internalin, an L. monocytogenes protein essential for entry into epithelial cells. Expression of the chicken homolog of E-cadherin (L-CAM) in transfected fibroblasts dramatically increases entry of L. monocytogenes and promotes that of a recombinant L. innocua strain expressing internalin but does not promote entry of the wild-type noninvasive L. innocua or that of an internalin-deficient mutant of L. monocytogenes. Furthermore, L-CAM-specific antibodies block internalin-mediated entry. In contrast to Salmonella, Listeria enters cells by a mechanism of induced phagocytosis occurring without membrane ruffling. This work reveals a novel type of heterophilic interactions for E-cadherin.
authors.affiliation: Unité des Interactions Bactéries-Cellules, Station Centrale de Microscopie Electronique, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mengaud
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohayon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gounon
authors.lastname: Mege R-M
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cossart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018938:Caco-2 Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000166:cytology*; D008322:Mammals; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D012475:Salmonella / Q000166:cytology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015820:Cadherins; D008024:Ligands; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C069761:internalin protein, Bacteria