The Pneumococcal Alpha-Glycerophosphate Oxidase Enhances Nasopharyngeal Colonization through Binding to Host Glycoconjugates.

ABSTRACT: Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is a major human pathogen, causing a broad spectrum of diseases including otitis media, pneumonia, bacteraemia and meningitis. Here we examined the role of a potential pneumococcal meningitis vaccine antigen, alpha-glycerophosphate oxidase (SpGlpO), in nasopharyngeal colonization. We found that serotype 4 and serotype 6A strains deficient in SpGlpO have significantly reduced capacity to colonize the nasopharynx of mice, and were significantly defective in adherence to human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in vitro. We also demonstrate that intranasal immunization with recombinant SpGlpO significantly protects mice against subsequent nasal colonization by wild type serotype 4 and serotype 6A strains. Furthermore, we show that SpGlpO binds strongly

SUBMITTER: Mahdi LK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5405170 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature