NlpI facilitates deposition of C4bp on Escherichia coli by blocking classical complement-mediated killing, which results in high-level bacteremia.
Neonatal meningitis Escherichia coli (NMEC) is the most common Gram-negative organism that is associated with neonatal meningitis, which usually develops as a result of hematogenous spread of the bacteria. There are two key pathogenesis processes for NMEC to penetrate into the brain, the essential step for the development of E. coli meningitis: a high-level bacteremia and traversal of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Our previous study has shown that the bacterial outer membrane protein NlpI contributes to NMEC binding to and invasion of brain microvascular endothelial cells, the major component cells of the BBB, suggesting a role for NlpI in NMEC crossing of the BBB. In this study, we showed that NlpI is involved in inducing a high level of bacteremia. In addition, NlpI contributed to the recruitment of the complement regulator C4bp to the surface of NMEC to evade serum killing, which is mediated by the classical complement pathway. NlpI may be involved in the interaction between C4bp and OmpA, which is an outer membrane protein that directly interacts with C4bp on the bacterial surface. The involvement of NlpI in two key pathogenesis processes of NMEC meningitis may make this bacterial factor a potential target for prevention and therapy of E. coli meningitis.
Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan City, Taiwan.
Yu-ting
YT
Tseng
Shainn-Wei
SW
Wang
Kwang Sik
KS
Kim
Ying-Hsiang
YH
Wang
Yufeng
Y
Yao
Chien-Cheng
CC
Chen
Chi-Wu
CW
Chiang
Pao-Chuan
PC
Hsieh
Ching-Hao
CH
Teng
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003179:Complement C3b; D003171:Complement Pathway, Classical / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D011897:Random Allocation; D044967:Serum; D013997:Time Factors
C489166:C4bp protein, mouse; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D008074:Lipoproteins; C120330:NlpI protein, E coli; D003179:Complement C3b