Major determinants of airway epithelial cell sensitivity to S. aureus alpha-toxin: Disposal of toxin heptamers by extracellular vesicle formation and lysosomal degradation

ABSTRACT: Alpha-toxin is a major virulence factor of Staphylococcus aureus. Monomer binding to host cell membranes result in the formation of heptameric transmembrane pores. Among human model airway epithelial cell lines, A549 cells were most sensitive toward the toxin followed by 16HBE14o- and S9 cells. In this study we investigated the processes of internalization of pore-containing plasma membrane areas as well as potential pathways for heptamer degradation (lysosomal, proteasomal) or disposal (formation of exosomes/microvesicles). The abundance of toxin hep-tamers upon applying an alpha-toxin pulse to the cells declined both in extracts of whole cells and of cellular membranes of S9 cells, but not in those of 16HBE14o- or A549 cells. Comparisons of heptamer degradation rates under inhibition of

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens (human)

SUBMITTER: Nils Möller 

PROVIDER: S-BSST585 | bioimages |

REPOSITORIES: bioimages