Leptospira interrogans Secreted Proteases Degrade Extracellular Matrix and Plasma Proteins From the Host.

ABSTRACT: Leptospires are highly motile spirochetes equipped with strategies for efficient invasion and dissemination within the host. Our group previously demonstrated that pathogenic leptospires secrete proteases capable of cleaving and inactivating key molecules of the complement system, allowing these bacteria to circumvent host's innate immune defense mechanisms. Given the successful dissemination of leptospires during infection, we wondered if such proteases would target a broader range of host molecules. In the present study, the proteolytic activity of secreted leptospiral proteases against a panel of extracellular matrix (ECM) and plasma proteins was assessed. The culture supernatant of the virulent L. interrogans serovar Kennewicki strain Fromm (LPF) degraded human fibrinogen, plasm

SUBMITTER: da Silva LB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5881292 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature