Recent progress in understanding Bartonella-induced vascular proliferation.
The ability to induce endothelial cell proliferation is a common feature of human pathogenic Bartonella species. Recent data have indicated that bartonellae can provoke angioproliferation by at least two independent mechanisms: directly, by triggering proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis of endothelial cells; and indirectly, by stimulating a paracrine angiogenic loop of vascular endothelial growth factor production by infected macrophages. A NF-kappaB-mediated acute inflammatory reaction of the Bartonella-infected endothelium appears to be critical for the recruitment of monocytes/macrophages and the initiation and maintenance of a paracrine angiogenic loop. Given that bartonellae effectively adhere to and invade endothelial cells, their ability to trigger angioproliferation might represent a dedicated pathogenic strategy for expanding the bacterial host cell habitat.
Dehio
Christoph
C
Division of Molecular Microbiology, Biozentrum of the University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland. christoph.dehio@unibas.ch
D017209:Apoptosis; D001473:Bartonella / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007378:Interleukins; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors