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Gonococcal phospholipase d modulates the expression and function of complement receptor 3 in primary cervical
Jennifer L Edwards1, David D Entz, Michael A Apicella
1Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA.
Infection and Immunity
|October 24, 2003
Summary
Neisseria gonorrhoeae uses phospholipase D (PLD) to invade cervical cells by triggering membrane ruffling and CR3 receptor engagement. A PLD-deficient gonococcal mutant showed reduced adherence and invasion, highlighting PLD's crucial role in infection.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Cell Biology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae utilizes CR3-mediated endocytosis for cervical epithelial cell invasion.
- Gonococcal infection involves the release of proteins, including phospholipase D (PLD), that promote membrane ruffling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of gonococcal phospholipase D (PLD) in the invasion of cervical epithelial cells.
- To elucidate the mechanism by which PLD facilitates Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection.
Main Methods:
- Construction and analysis of a Neisseria gonorrhoeae PLD mutant.
- Comparative adherence and invasion assays using primary cervical cells.
- Electron microscopy to visualize bacterial-host cell interactions.
Main Results:
- The PLD mutant exhibited impaired adherence to and invasion of cervical cells compared to wild-type.
- The invasion defect was rescued by wild-type gonococcal supernatant but not by exogenous Streptomyces PLD.
- Mutant gonococci showed reduced recruitment of CR3 to the cervical cell surface and diminished membrane ruffling.
Conclusions:
- Gonococcal PLD is essential for efficient CR3-mediated invasion of cervical epithelia.
- PLD potentiates membrane ruffling and CR3 clustering, facilitating bacterial entry and survival.
- PLD plays a critical role in Neisseria gonorrhoeae pathogenesis in the cervical epithelium.