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Type III protein secretion is associated with death in lower respiratory and systemic Pseudomonas aeruginosa

A Roy-Burman1, R H Savel, S Racine

  • 1Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0542, USA.

The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|May 24, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Pseudomonas aeruginosa expressing type III secretory proteins like ExoS and ExoT significantly increases mortality risk in patients. This finding highlights the type III secretion system

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pathogenesis
  • Clinical Research

Background:

  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa can secrete toxins via the type III secretion system.
  • The clinical significance of this pathway in human infections is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between type III secretory protein expression in P. aeruginosa and patient outcomes.
  • To evaluate the role of the type III secretion system in P. aeruginosa virulence.

Main Methods:

  • Immunoblot analysis was used to detect type III secretory proteins (ExoS, ExoT, ExoU, PcrV) in P. aeruginosa isolates from 108 patients.
  • Toxicity was assessed in cellular and murine models.
  • Phenotype prevalence was compared between acute and chronic infections.

Main Results:

  • Expression of type III secretory proteins was associated with a 6-fold increased relative risk of mortality.
  • The phenotype correlated with increased toxicity in experimental models.
  • The prevalence of this phenotype was higher in acutely infected patients compared to chronically infected cystic fibrosis patients.

Conclusions:

  • The type III protein secretion system is crucial for P. aeruginosa virulence.
  • Detecting this phenotype can predict poor clinical outcomes.
  • This analysis may aid in differentiating lethal infections from colonization and guiding therapy.

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