Biological Trojan horse: Antigen 43 provides specific bacterial uptake and survival in human neutrophils

Sara Fexby, Thomas Bjarnsholt, P. Ø. Jensen, Viktoria Roos, N Høiby, Michael Christian Givskov, Per Klemm

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    Escherichia coli is a versatile pathogen causing millions of infections in humans every year. This bacterium can form multicellular aggregates when it expresses a self-associating protein, antigen 43 (Ag43), on its surface. We have discovered that Ag43-expressing E. coli cells are efficiently taken up by human defense cells, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), in an opsonin-independent manner. Surprisingly, the phagocytosed bacteria were not immediately killed but resided as tight aggregates within the PMNs. Our observations indicate that Ag43-mediated uptake and survival in PMNs constitute a mechanism to subvert one of the primary defense mechanisms of the human body.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalInfection and Immunity
    Volume75
    Issue number1
    Pages (from-to)30-34
    ISSN0019-9567
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2007

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