Mechanisms of Staphylococcus aureus induced apoptosis of human endothelial cells.
Staphylococcus aureus plays an important role in sepsis, pneumonia and wound infections. Here, we demonstrate that infection with several S. aureus strains results in apoptosis of human endothelial cells. S. aureus induced an activation of cellular caspases, the acid sphingomyelinase, a release of cytochrome c and a stimulation of Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK). The significance of these findings is indicated by a prevention of S. aureus triggered apoptosis of human cells deficient for ASM or upon genetic or pharmacological inhibition of JNK or caspases, respectively.
Esen
M
M
Department of Physiology, University of Tübingen, Gmelinstrasse 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Schreiner
B
B
Jendrossek
V
V
Lang
F
F
Fassbender
K
K
Grassmé
H
H
Gulbins
E
E
D017209:Apoptosis; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000378:metabolism; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004727:Endothelium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology
D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase; D020169:Caspases