title: Complement resistance mechanisms of Klebsiella pneumoniae.
abstract: The current emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria causes major problems in hospitals worldwide. To survive within the host, bacterial pathogens exploit several escape mechanisms to prevent detection and killing by the immune system. As a major player in immune defense, the complement system recognizes and destroys bacteria via different effector mechanisms. The complement system can label bacteria for phagocytosis or directly kill Gram-negative bacteria via insertion of a pore-forming complex in the bacterial membrane. The multi-drug resistant pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae exploits several mechanisms to resist complement. In this review, we present an overview of strategies used by K. pneumoniae to prevent recognition and killing by the complement system. Understanding these complement evasion strategies is crucial for the development of innovative strategies to combat K. pneumoniae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, UMC Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100 HP G04.614, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dennis J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Doorduijn
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, UMC Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100 HP G04.614, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Suzan H M
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Rooijakkers
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, UMC Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100 HP G04.614, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van Schaik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, UMC Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100 HP G04.614, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: b.w.bardoel-2@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Bart W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Bardoel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000276:immunology; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D003165:Complement System Proteins
keywords: Complement system; Immune evasion; Klebsiella pneumoniae