title: Francisella tularensis strain LVS resides in MHC II-positive autophagic vacuoles in macrophages.
abstract: The Francisella tularensis strain LVS phagosome disintegrates during the first few hours after bacterial entry and microbes are released to the cytosol. Within 12 h both rapid multiplication of microbes and a steep increase of apoptosis of infected macrophages occur. We searched for signals involved in the death of macrophages and detected molecules associated with the autophagy machinery cathepsin D, PTEN, p53 and LC3, whose levels or modification were influenced by ongoing in vitro tularemic infection. The sequestration of cytoplasmic F. tularensis LVS into autophagosomes was confirmed by co-localization of the LVS strain containing vacuoles with LC3 (an autophagosomal marker). We also demonstrated the presence of MHC II antigens in these autophagosomes, indicating that they might act as a source of endogenous tularemic antigens for presentation to CD4+ T lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czechia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hrstka
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Krocová
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cerný
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vojtesek
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Macela
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stulík
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000032:analysis; D002460:Cell Line; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000032:analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; C480860:Map1lc3b protein, mouse; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C487757:Pten protein, mouse; D002402:Cathepsin D