title: Does upregulated host cell receptor expression provide a link between bacterial adhesion and chronic respiratory disease?
abstract: Expression of the platelet-activating factor receptor is upregulated in the respiratory epithelium of smokers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. We have recently determined that increased expression of PAFr correlates with higher levels of adhesion to human bronchial epithelial cells by non-typable Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae which are major bacterial pathogens in acute exacerbations of COPD. In addition, we found that a PAFr antagonist decreased the adhesion of both respiratory bacterial pathogens to non-cigarette exposure control levels. This highlights the possibility that epithelial receptors, that are upregulated in response to cigarette smoke, could be targeted to specifically block chronic bacterial infections of the lower respiratory tract. In this commentary, we explore the question of whether adhesion to a temporally-upregulated host receptor is a common event in chronic bacterial disease, and as such, could represent a putative therapeutic target for blocking infection by respiratory and other pathogens.
authors: School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Tasmania, Medical Science 1, 17 Liverpool Street, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia. ronan.otoole@utas.edu.au.
authors: Ronan F
authors: RF
authors: O'Toole
authors: School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Tasmania, Medical Science 1, 17 Liverpool Street, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
authors: Shakti D
authors: SD
authors: Shukla
authors: School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Tasmania, Medical Science 1, 17 Liverpool Street, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
authors: Eugene H
authors: EH
authors: Walters
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000502:physiology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D010980:Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000378:metabolism*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000502:physiology; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D010980:Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C039351:platelet activating factor receptor
keywords: Airway epithelium; Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae; Platelet-activating factor receptor; Streptococcus pneumoniae