Altering lipid droplet homeostasis affects Coxiella burnetii intracellular growth.

ABSTRACT: Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen and a causative agent of culture-negative endocarditis. While C. burnetii initially infects alveolar macrophages, it has also been found in lipid droplet (LD)-containing foamy macrophages in the cardiac valves of endocarditis patients. In addition, transcriptional studies of C. burnetii-infected macrophages reported differential regulation of the LD coat protein-encoding gene perilipin 2 (plin-2). To further investigate the relationship between LDs and C. burnetii, we compared LD numbers using fluorescence microscopy in mock-infected and C. burnetii-infected alveolar macrophages. On average, C. burnetii-infected macrophages contained twice as many LDs as mock-infected macrophages. LD numbers increased as early as 24 hours po

SUBMITTER: Mulye M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5794150 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature