Group B streptococcal pilus proteins contribute to adherence to and invasion of brain microvascular endothelial cells

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Humanized Mouse Model to Study Bacterial Infections Targeting the Microvasculature
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Humanized Mouse Model to Study Bacterial Infections Targeting the Microvasculature

Published on: April 1, 2014

Heather C Maisey1, Mary Hensler, Victor Nizet

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pharmacology & Drug Discovery, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.

Journal of Bacteriology
|October 17, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) pili proteins, PilA and PilB, are crucial for pathogen interaction with human blood-brain barrier endothelial cells. This finding advances understanding of GBS central nervous system infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pathogenesis
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Gram-positive bacteria, including Group B Streptococcus (GBS), cause invasive human diseases.
  • Surface filamentous structures called pili are recently identified in these pathogens.
  • GBS is a significant cause of central nervous system infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of GBS pilus formation proteins in host cell interactions.
  • To determine if pilus proteins mediate the interaction between GBS and human blood-brain barrier endothelial cells.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of GBS pilus formation proteins, PilA and PilB.
  • Investigating the interaction of GBS with human endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier.

Main Results:

  • The GBS proteins PilA and PilB are involved in pilus formation.
  • These proteins facilitate the interaction of GBS with human blood-brain barrier endothelial cells.

Conclusions:

  • PilA and PilB are key virulence factors for GBS.
  • These proteins play a critical role in GBS central nervous system infection by mediating blood-brain barrier penetration.

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