Altering tissue tropism of Listeria monocytogenes by ectopically expressing human E-cadherin in transgenic mice.
The Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes invades a variety of cells in vitro and in vivo. Here, we show that L. monocytogenes is able to enter muscle cells if provided with the appropriate host receptor. Using a cardiac-specific promoter, human E-cadherin was misexpressed in the heart of transgenic mice. First, we demonstrate that L. monocytogenes is capable of infecting the E-cadherin-expressing, but not the N-cadherin-expressing cardiomyocytes in vitro. Second, we show that L. monocytogenes infects the heart of transgenic animals after administering the bacteria intravenously. This unique system may prove useful for understanding basic aspects of L. monocytogenes cell biology by comparing infection of muscle versus epithelial cells.
Luo
Yang
Y
Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 1335 Biomedical Research Building II/III 421 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Lee
Anee
A
Shen
Hao
H
Radice
Glenn L
GL
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006321:Heart / Q000382:microbiology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D023421:Models, Animal; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015820:Cadherins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C069761:internalin protein, Bacteria