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Changes in the adherens junctions of human endothelial cells infected with spotted fever group rickettsiae

Gustavo Valbuena1, David H Walker

  • 1School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogota, DC, Colombia.

Virchows Archiv : an International Journal of Pathology
|March 22, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Spotted fever group Rickettsiae cause disease by damaging blood vessels. Infection leads to gaps in endothelial cell junctions late in the process, explaining disease symptoms.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pathology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Spotted fever group Rickettsiae are intracellular bacteria infecting vascular endothelium.
  • They cause systemic diseases through endothelial dysfunction and vascular leakage.
  • The exact mechanisms of endothelial cell damage remain under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of Rickettsiae infection on interendothelial adherens junctions.
  • To determine the temporal relationship between Rickettsiae infection and junctional gap formation.

Main Methods:

  • Infection of primary human endothelial cells with Rickettsiae in vitro.
  • Microscopic analysis to observe the formation of gaps in interendothelial adherens junctions.

Main Results:

  • Rickettsial infection was associated with the formation of gaps in interendothelial adherens junctions.
  • Gap formation occurred late in the course of in vitro infections.
  • Significant rickettsial loads were present before gap formation was observed.

Conclusions:

  • The formation of gaps in interendothelial adherens junctions is a late event in Rickettsiae infections.
  • This finding contributes to understanding the pathophysiology of spotted fever group Rickettsiae diseases.

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