title: Deciphering the protein interaction in adhesion of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica to the endothelial cells.
abstract: Extracellular form of Francisella is able to cross various cell barriers and invade multiple organs, such as skin, liver, lung and central nervous system. Transient adhesion of Francisella to endothelial cells may trigger the process of translocation. In this report, we showed that Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica (Fth) is able to adhere to the endothelial cells, while ICAM-1 may serve as an adhesion molecule for Fth. Pull down and affinity ligand binding assays indicated that the PilE4 could be the probable ligand for ICAM-1. Further deciphering of this ligand:receptor interaction revealed that PilE4 interacts with Ig-like C2-type 1 domain of ICAM-1. To corroborate the role of PilE4 and ICAM-1 interaction in adhesion of extracellular form of Fth to endothelial cells, ICAM-1 was blocked with monoclonal anti-ICAM-1 antibody prior to the incubation with Fth and numbers of adherent bacteria were counted. Blocking of the ICAM-1 significantly reduced (500-fold, P < 0.05) number of adherent Fth compared to unblocked cells. PilE4:ICAM-1 interaction unfolded here may provide a new perspective on molecules involved in the adhesion of extracellular form of Francisella to endothelial cells and probably its translocation across endothelial barriers.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, 041 81 Kosice, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bencurova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 10 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kovac
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, 041 81 Kosice, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pulzova
authors.affiliation: Institute for Veterinary Medical Research, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1581 Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Miklós
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gyuranecz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, 041 81 Kosice, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mlynarcik
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 10 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Rastislav
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mucha
authors.affiliation: Bioinformatics & Medical Informatics Team, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vlachakis
authors.affiliation: Bioinformatics & Medical Informatics Team, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kossida
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, 041 81 Kosice, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Flachbartova
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, 041 81 Kosice, Slovakia; Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 10 Bratislava, Slovakia. Electronic address: bhidemangesh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mangesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhide
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology*; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000502:physiology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins
keywords: Endothelial cells; Francisella; ICAM-1; Type IV pili