title: A potential pathogenic factor from Mycoplasma hominis is a TLR2-dependent, macrophage-activating, P50-related adhesin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mycoplasma hominis has been implicated in many inflammatory conditions of the human urogenital tract in particular amniotic infections that lead to fetal and neonatal disease and pre-term labor. The mechanisms responsible are poorly defined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biochemical and immunological methods were used to extract, purify, and characterize an inflammatory component present in M. hominis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We isolated and purified to homogeneity a 40-kDa bioactive lipoprotein from M. hominis that was a potent TLR2-dependent, CD14-independent activator of the human THP-1 macrophage cell line. Homology searches of the N-terminal sequence revealed that 22 of the first 23 residues were identical to those seen for the phase-variable M. hominis p50 adhesin. The truncated P50t lipoprotein importantly retained its adhesive properties for human macrophages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The unique adhesin/macrophage activator may play a key role in M. hominis infections by triggering an inflammatory cytokine cascade.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Oral Pathobiological Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasebe
authors.forename: Hong-Hua
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.forename: Barry C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Cole
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000276:immunology; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019535:Mycoplasma hominis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D016207:Cytokines; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D008074:Lipoproteins; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; C118865:adhesin P50, Mycoplasma hominis
keywords: Adhesin; TLR2; genital mycoplasmosis; macrophage