title: Prc contributes to Escherichia coli evasion of classical complement-mediated serum killing.
abstract: Escherichia coli is a common Gram-negative organism that causes bacteremia. Prc, a bacterial periplasmic protease, and its homologues are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of Gram-negative bacterial infections. The present study examined the role of Prc in E. coli bacteremia and characterized the ability of the prc mutant of the pathogenic E. coli strain RS218 to cause bacteremia and survive in human serum. The prc mutant of RS218 exhibited a decreased ability to cause a high level of bacteremia and was more sensitive to serum killing than strain RS218. This sensitivity was due to the mutant's decreased ability to avoid the activation of the antibody-dependent and -independent classical complement cascades as well as its decreased resistance to killing mediated by the membrane attack complex, the end product of complement system activation. The demonstration of Prc in the evasion of classical complement-mediated serum killing of pathogenic E. coli makes this factor a potential target for the development of therapeutic and preventive measures against E. coli bacteremia.
authors: Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan City, Taiwan.
authors: Chin-Ya
authors: CY
authors: Wang
authors: Shainn-Wei
authors: SW
authors: Wang
authors: Wen-Chun
authors: WC
authors: Huang
authors: Kwang Sik
authors: KS
authors: Kim
authors: Nan-Shan
authors: NS
authors: Chang
authors: Ying-Hsiang
authors: YH
authors: Wang
authors: Meng-Hsing
authors: MH
authors: Wu
authors: Ching-Hao
authors: CH
authors: Teng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003171:Complement Pathway, Classical / Q000502:physiology; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009154:Mutation; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D010450:Endopeptidases; C072135:C-terminal processing peptidase