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First published online January 17, 2009

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Pneumococci take the integrin route

To promote its invasion into host cells, the Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) interacts specifically with several host proteins, including cell-surface receptors and ECM components. For instance, pneumococci are known to bind to the ECM- and plasma-localised protein vitronectin, and Sven Hammerschmidt and colleagues (p. 256) now shed light on how this interaction affects pneumococcal uptake and host-cell signalling cascades. Using flow cytometry, the authors first show that pneumococci interact with the heparin-binding sites of multimeric (ECM-associated) vitronectin. Moreover, cell-associated multimeric vitronectin promotes pneumococcal adhesion to, and invasion of, human epithelial and endothelial cells. Notably, the authors show that vβ3 integrin is required for vitronectin-dependent invasion – as is integrin-linked kinase (ILK), which is known to mediate several downstream effects of integrin activation (including actin-cytoskeleton reorganisation). In line with this observation, internalisation of pneumococci requires a dynamic actin cytoskeleton, and their interaction with the host cell causes the formation of microspike-like structures (see image) that are the sites of pneumococcal entrapment. The authors conclude that pneumococci exploit the dynamic processes of the host cell to enable invasion.

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Related articles in JCS:

Integrin-linked kinase is required for vitronectin-mediated internalization of Streptococcus pneumoniae by host cells

Simone Bergmann, Anke Lang, Manfred Rohde, Vaibhav Agarwal, Claudia Rennemeier, Carsten Grashoff, Klaus T. Preissner, and Sven Hammerschmidt
JCS 2009 122: 256-267. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in JCS Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?