Faculty of Biology, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
Signalling Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
mBio. 2020 Mar 10;11(2):e03260-19. doi: 10.1128/mBio.03260-19.
The opportunistic bacterium produces the fucose-specific lectin LecB, which has been identified as a virulence factor. LecB has a tetrameric structure with four opposing binding sites and has been shown to act as a cross-linker. Here, we demonstrate that LecB strongly binds to the glycosylated moieties of β1-integrins on the basolateral plasma membrane of epithelial cells and causes rapid integrin endocytosis. Whereas internalized integrins were degraded via a lysosomal pathway, washout of LecB restored integrin cell surface localization, thus indicating a specific and direct action of LecB on integrins to bring about their endocytosis. Interestingly, LecB was able to trigger uptake of active and inactive β1-integrins and also of complete α3β1-integrin-laminin complexes. We provide a mechanistic explanation for this unique endocytic process by showing that LecB has the additional ability to recognize fucose-bearing glycosphingolipids and causes the formation of membrane invaginations on giant unilamellar vesicles. In cells, LecB recruited integrins to these invaginations by cross-linking integrins and glycosphingolipids. In epithelial wound healing assays, LecB specifically cleared integrins from the surface of cells located at the wound edge and blocked cell migration and wound healing in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the wild-type strain PAO1 was able to loosen cell-substrate adhesion in order to crawl underneath exposed cells, whereas knockout of LecB significantly reduced crawling events. Based on these results, we suggest that LecB has a role in disseminating bacteria along the cell-basement membrane interface. is a ubiquitous environmental bacterium that is one of the leading causes of nosocomial infections. is able to switch between planktonic, intracellular, and biofilm-based lifestyles, which allows it to evade the immune system as well as antibiotic treatment. Hence, alternatives to antibiotic treatment are urgently required to combat infections. Lectins, like the fucose-specific LecB, are promising targets, because removal of LecB resulted in decreased virulence in mouse models. Currently, several research groups are developing LecB inhibitors. However, the role of LecB in host-pathogen interactions is not well understood. The significance of our research is in identifying cellular mechanisms of how LecB facilitates infection. We introduce LecB as a new member of the list of bacterial molecules that bind integrins and show that can move forward underneath attached epithelial cells by loosening cell-basement membrane attachment in a LecB-dependent manner.
机会致病菌 产生了特异性识别岩藻糖的凝集素 LecB,该凝集素已被鉴定为一种毒力因子。LecB 具有四聚体结构,包含四个相对的结合位点,且已被证实具有交联作用。在这里,我们证明 LecB 能够与上皮细胞基底外侧质膜上糖基化的 β1-整联蛋白强烈结合,并导致整联蛋白快速内化。虽然内化的整联蛋白通过溶酶体途径被降解,但 LecB 的洗脱可恢复整联蛋白的细胞表面定位,因此表明 LecB 能够特异性且直接作用于整联蛋白,从而引发其内化。有趣的是,LecB 能够触发活性和非活性的 β1-整联蛋白以及完整的 α3β1-整联蛋白-层粘连蛋白复合物的内化。我们通过显示 LecB 还具有识别带有岩藻糖的糖脂的额外能力,并导致在巨大的单层囊泡上形成膜内陷,从而为这种独特的内吞过程提供了一种机制解释。在细胞中,LecB 通过交联整联蛋白和糖脂,将整联蛋白募集到这些内陷中。在上皮细胞愈合实验中,LecB 特异性地从位于伤口边缘的细胞表面清除整联蛋白,并以剂量依赖的方式阻止细胞迁移和伤口愈合。此外,野生型 PAO1 菌株能够松动细胞-基底膜附着,以便在暴露的细胞下爬行,而 LecB 敲除则显著减少了爬行事件。基于这些结果,我们认为 LecB 在沿着细胞-基底膜界面传播细菌方面发挥作用。 是一种普遍存在的环境细菌,是导致医院获得性感染的主要原因之一。 能够在浮游、细胞内和生物膜生活方式之间切换,从而使其能够逃避免疫系统和抗生素治疗。因此,迫切需要替代抗生素治疗来对抗 感染。凝集素,如特异性识别岩藻糖的 LecB,是很有前途的治疗靶点,因为去除 LecB 会导致小鼠模型中的毒力降低。目前,有几个研究小组正在开发 LecB 抑制剂。然而,LecB 在宿主-病原体相互作用中的作用尚不清楚。我们研究的意义在于确定 LecB 促进 感染的细胞机制。我们将 LecB 作为结合整联蛋白的细菌分子列表中的新成员引入,并表明 LecB 可以通过依赖 LecB 的方式松动细胞-基底膜附着,从而在附着的上皮细胞下移动。