| 1. |
- Sandrini, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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Deoxyribonucleoside kinases activate nucleoside antibiotics in severe pathogenic bacteria.
- 2007
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Ingår i: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. - 1098-6596. ; 51:8, s. 2726-2732
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Common bacterial pathogens are becoming progressively more resistant to traditional antibiotics, representing a major public-health crisis. Therefore, there is a need for a variety of antibiotics with alternative modes of action. In our study, several nucleoside analogs were tested against pathogenic staphylococci and streptococci. We show that pyrimidine-based nucleoside analogs, like 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) and 2',2'-difluoro-2'deoxycytidine (gemcitabine), are specifically activated by the endogenous bacterial deoxyribonucleoside kinases, leading to cell death. Deoxyribonucleoside kinase-deficient Escherichia coli strains become highly susceptible to nucleoside analogs when they express recombinant kinases from Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes. We further demonstrate that recombinant S. aureus deoxyadenosine kinase efficiently phosphorylates the anticancer drug gemcitabine in vitro and is therefore the key enzyme in the activation pathway. When adult mice were infected intraperitoneally with a fatal dose of S. pyogenes strain AP1 and afterwards received gemcitabine, they failed to develop a systemic infection. Nucleoside analogs may therefore represent a promising alternative for combating pathogenic bacteria.
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| 2. |
- Nylander, Anja, et al.
(författare)
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An investigation of the interaction between red blood cells and Streptococcus pyogenes
- 2010
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Blood group antigens may be used as receptors by pathogens when infecting their hosts. Different blood groups therefore can be disease susceptibility factors. Thus, pathogens may have exerted a selection pressure on the evolution of blood group diversity. One aim of our study was to identify red blood cell (RBC) membrane structures that are bound by the common human pathogen. Streptococcus pyogenes, responsible for conditions like pharyngitis, Scarlet fever, necrotizing fasciitis and rheumatic heart disease. We also wanted to explore any differences in the ability of S. pyogenes to agglutinate RBC of different ABO groups and of selected null blood group phenotypes.Solubilized RBC membranes were incubated with different strains of S. pyogenes. RBC proteins that bound to bacteria were eluted and separated by SDS-PAGE. In our initial studies, a strong band at ~58 kDa and a weaker band at ~28 kDa were visualized by Coomassie staining. Subsequent analysis by mass spectrometry and Western blotting revealed the bands to correspond to IgG heavy and light chains. The IgG-related bands were strongest for bacterial strains expressing both protein H and M protein, surface structures known to bind IgG, while weaker or no bands were detected in those strains lacking one or both proteins. Results from subsequent experiments indicated that the interaction between S. pyogenes and RBCs was not limited to IgG, but that a number of other RBC membrane structures appear to bind specifically to S. pyogenes. Those proteins are currently being analysed by mass spectrometry.In agglutination studies of S. pyogenes and RBCs, either sensitised with IgG or stripped of IgG we confirmed that IgG has a role in the binding of RBCs by S. pyogenes. We observed no difference in the ability of S. pyogenes to agglutinate RBCs of different ABO groups, indicating that the ABO-specific differences in RBC surface oligosaccharides are not recognized. When we tested a panel of RBCs with rare null phenotypes we found that cells of the Helgeson phenotype, expressing very low levels of the Knops antigens on complement receptor 1 (CR1), agglutinated more weakly than other common and rare RBCs tested.We are still puzzled by the fact that the hemagglutination is stronger for S. pyogenes strains lacking the M-protein, known to bind both complement and IgG on the surface of the bacteria. Our hypothesis is that there might be some repulsive force acting between the M-protein and surface of RBC, making the interaction stronger when the M-protein is missing. This is supported by agglutination studies with papain-treated RBCs, where the negative charge is reduced.IgG is known to bind senescent cell antigens on erythroid band 3 and thus the amount of IgG increases on the RBC surface as it ages. We speculated that binding to IgG on the RBC surface by S. pyogenes could be a way to selectively target aged RBCs, possibly to acquire heme as a source of iron. Attempts to separate RBCs according to age were made on density gradients, followed by agglutination studies of the different fractions. Our initial results did not demonstrate any conclusive differences. Our data indicate that interactions between S. pyogenes and RBC are mediated at least through IgG and CR1 on the RBC surface. The clinical importance awaits exploration but may be relevant in the identification of resistance factors to infections among humans, and could thus lead to the development of alternative ways to treat infections caused by S. pyogenes.
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| 3. |
- Björck, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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Bacterial growth inhibited by a synthetic inhibitor based upon the structure of a human proteinase inhibitor
- 1989
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 337:6205, s. 385-386
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cysteine proteinases are important not only in the intracellular catabolism of peptides and proteins1 and in the processing of prohormones and proenzymes2,3, but also in the penetration of normal human tissue by malignant cells4 and possibly microorganisms5, including viruses. Cystatin C is a human cysteine proteinase inhibitor present in extracellular fluids6. We have synthesized peptide derivatives mimicking the proposed proteinase-binding centre of cystatin C7 and find that they irreversibly inhibit cysteine proteinases. Several bacteria produce proteinases, so we tested a tripeptide derivative (Z-LVG-CHN2) for in vitro anti-bacterial activity against a large number of bacterial strains belonging to thirteen different species. It was found to inhibit specifically the growth of all strains of group A streptococci. The susceptibility of these human pathogens to the peptide was compared with that to well-established anti-streptococcal antibiotics such as tetracy-cline and bacitracin. Moreover, the peptide was active in vivo against group A streptococci: mice injected with lethal doses of these bacteria were cured by a single injection of Z-LVG-CHN2. The cysteine proteinase produced by group A streptococci was isolated and found to be inhibited by Z-LVG-CHN2; moreover, excess proteinase relieved the growth inhibition caused by the peptide derivative, suggesting that the antibacterial activity of Z-LVG-CHN2 is due to inhibition of this cysteine proteinase. This strategy of blocking proteinases with peptide derivatives that mimic naturally occurring inhibitors could be useful in the construction of new agents against other microorganisms, including viruses.
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| 4. |
- Andersson, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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Antimicrobial activities of heparin-binding peptides.
- 2004
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Ingår i: European Journal of Biochemistry. - : Wiley. - 0014-2956. ; 271:6, s. 1219-1226
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Antimicrobial peptides are effector molecules of the innate immune system. We recently showed that the human antimicrobial peptides alpha-defensin and LL-37 bind to glycosaminoglycans (heparin and dermatan sulphate). Here we demonstrate the obverse, i.e. structural motifs associated with heparin affinity (cationicity, amphipaticity, and consensus regions) may confer antimicrobial properties to a given peptide. Thus, heparin-binding peptides derived from laminin isoforms, von Willebrand factor, vitronectin, protein C inhibitor, and fibronectin, exerted antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Similar results were obtained using heparin-binding peptides derived from complement factor C3 as well as consensus sequences for heparin-binding (Cardin and Weintraub motifs). These sequence motifs, and additional peptides, also killed the fungus Candida albicans. These data will have implications for the search for novel antimicrobial peptides and utilization of heparin-protein interactions should be helpful in the identification and purification of novel antimicrobial peptides from complex biological mixtures. Finally, consensus regions may serve as templates for de novo synthesis of novel antimicrobial molecules.
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| 5. |
- Egesten, Arne, et al.
(författare)
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Binding of albumin promotes bacterial survival at the epithelial surface.
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 1083-351X. ; Dec, s. 2469-2476
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Albumin (HSA) is the dominating protein in human plasma. Many bacterial species, especially streptococci, express surface proteins that bind HSA with high specificity and affinity, but the biological consequences of these protein-protein interactions are poorly understood. Group G streptococci (GGS), carrying the HSA-binding protein G, colonize the skin and the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, mostly without causing disease. In case of bacterial invasion, pro-inflammatory cytokines are released that activate the epithelium to produce antibacterial peptides, in particular the chemokine MIG/CXCL9. In addition, the inflammation causes capillary leakage and extravasation of HSA and other plasma proteins; environmental changes at the epithelial surface to which the bacteria need to respond. In this study, we find that GGS adsorb HSA from both saliva and plasma via binding to protein G, and that HSA bound to protein G binds and inactivates the antibacterial MIG/CXCL9 peptide. Another surface protein of GGS, FOG, was found to mediate adherence of the bacteria to pharyngeal epithelial cells through interaction with glycosaminoglycans. This adherence was not affected by the activation of the epithelium with a combination of IFN-γ and TNF-α, leading to the production of MIG/CXCL9. However, at the activated epithelial surface, adherent GGS were protected against killing by MIG/CXCL9 through protein G dependent HSA-coating. The findings identify a previously unknown bacterial survival strategy that help to explain the evolution of HSA-binding proteins among bacterial species of the normal human microbiota.
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| 6. |
- Frick, Inga-Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Antibacterial activity of the contact and complement systems is blocked by SIC, a protein secreted by Streptococcus pyogenes.
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 1083-351X. ; 286, s. 1331-1340
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent studies have shown that activation of the complement and contact systems results in the generation of antibacterial peptides. Streptococcus pyogenes, a major bacterial pathogen in humans, exists in more than one hundred different serotypes due to sequence variation in the surface-associated M protein. Cases of invasive and life-threatening S. pyogenes infections are commonly associated with isolates of the M1 serotype, and in contrast to the large majority of M serotypes, M1 isolates all secrete the SIC protein. Here we show that SIC interferes with the activation of the contact system, and blocks the activity of antibacterial peptides generated through complement and contact activation. This effect promotes the growth of S. pyogenes in human plasma, and in a mouse model of S. pyogenes sepsis, SIC enhances bacterial dissemination, results which help to explain the high frequency of severe S. pyogenes infections caused by isolates of the M1 serotype.
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| 7. |
- Karlsson, Christofer, et al.
(författare)
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SufA - a bacterial enzyme that cleaves fibrinogen and blocks fibrin network formation.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Microbiology. - : Microbiology Society. - 1465-2080 .- 1350-0872. ; 155:Pt 1, s. 238-248
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Finegoldia magna is a member of the normal human bacterial flora on the skin and other non-sterile body surfaces, but this anaerobic coccus is also an important opportunistic pathogen. SufA was the first F. magna proteinase to be isolated and characterized. Many bacterial pathogens interfere with different steps of blood coagulation, and here we describe how purified SufA efficiently and specifically cleaves fibrinogen in human plasma. SufA is both secreted by F. magna and associated with the bacterial surface. Successful gene targeting has previously not been performed in anaerobic cocci, but in order to study the role of the SufA that is present at the bacterial surface, we constructed an F. magna mutant that expresses a truncated SufA lacking proteolytic activity. In contrast to wild-type bacteria that delayed the coagulation of human plasma, mutant bacteria had no such effect. Wild-type and mutant bacteria adhered to keratinocytes equally well, but in a plasma environment only wild-type bacteria blocked the formation of fibrin networks surrounding adherent bacteria. The effective cleavage of fibrinogen by SufA suggests that the interference with fibrin network formation represents an adaptive mechanism of F. magna with potential implications also for pathogenicity.
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| 8. |
- Lorant, Tomas, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Safety, immunogenicity, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of degradation of anti-HLA antibodies by IdeS (imlifidase) in chronic kidney disease patients
- 2018
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Ingår i: American Journal of Transplantation. - : Elsevier BV. - 1600-6135 .- 1600-6143. ; 18:11, s. 2752-2762
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Safety, immunogenicity, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of the IgG-degrading enzyme of Streptococcus pyogenes (IdeS [imlifidase]) were assessed in a single-center, open-label ascending-dose study in highly sensitized patients with chronic kidney disease. Eight patients with cytotoxic PRAs (median cytotoxic PRAs of 64%) at enrollment received 1 or 2 intravenous infusions of IdeS on consecutive days (0.12 mg/kg body weight ×2 [n = 3]; 0.25 mg/kg ×1 [n = 3], or 0.25 mg/kg ×2 [n = 2]). IgG degradation was observed in all subjects after IdeS treatment, with <1% plasma IgG remaining within 48 hours and remaining low up to 7 days. Mean fluorescence intensity values of HLA class I and II reactivity were substantially reduced in all patients, and C1q binding to anti-HLA was abolished. IdeS also cleaved the IgG-type B cell receptor on CD19+ memory B cells. Anti-IdeS antibodies developed 1 week after treatment, peaking at 2 weeks. A few hours after the second IdeS infusion, 1 patient received a deceased donor kidney offer. At enrollment, the patient had a positive serum crossmatch (HLA-B7), detected by complement-dependent cytotoxicity, flow cytometry, and multiplex bead assays. After IdeS infusion (0.12 mg/kg ×2) and when the HLA-incompatible donor (HLA-B7+) kidney was offered, the HLA antibody profile was negative. The kidney was transplanted successfully.
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| 9. |
- Mihai, Sidonia, et al.
(författare)
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In vivo enzymatic modulation of IgG antibodies prevents immune complex-dependent skin injury
- 2017
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Ingår i: Experimental Dermatology. - : Wiley. - 0906-6705. ; 26:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- IgG antibodies are potent inducers of proinflammatory responses by cross-linking Fc receptors on innate immune effector cells resulting in tissue injury. The recently discovered enzymes endoglycosidase S (EndoS) and IgG-degrading enzyme (IdeS) of Streptococcus pyogenes are able to modulate the interaction between IgG antibodies and the Fc receptors, by hydrolysis of the glycan associated with the heavy chain of the IgG molecule (EndoS), or cleavage in the hinge region of the heavy IgG chain (IdeS). In this work, we investigated their ability to inhibit damage mediated by skin-bound antibodies in vivo in two different experimental models, the Arthus reaction, and epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, an autoimmune blistering skin disease associated with autoantibodies against type VII collagen. We demonstrate that both enzymes efficiently interfere with IgG-mediated proinflammatory processes, offering a great asset to specifically target pathological IgG antibodies in the skin and holding great promise for future applications in human therapy.
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| 10. |
- Persson, Kristin, et al.
(författare)
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Severe lung lesions caused by Salmonella are prevented by inhibition of the contact system
- 2000
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Ingår i: Journal of Experimental Medicine. - : Rockefeller University Press. - 1540-9538 .- 0022-1007. ; 192:10, s. 1415-1424
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vascular damage induced by trauma, inflammation, or infection results in an alteration of the endothelium from a nonactivated to a procoagulant, vasoconstrictive, and proinflammatory state, and can lead to life-threatening complications. Here we report that activation of the contact system by Salmonella leads to massive infiltration of red blood cells and fibrin deposition in the lungs of infected rats. These pulmonary lesions were prevented when the infected animals were treated with H-D-Pro-Phe-Arg-chloromethylketone, an inhibitor of coagulation factor XII and plasma kallikrein, suggesting that inhibition of contact system activation could be used therapeutically in severe infectious disease.
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