Streptococcus pneumoniae Cell Wall-Localized Trigger Factor Elicits a Protective Immune Response and Contributes to Bacterial Adhesion to the Host.

ABSTRACT: Trigger factor (TF) has a known cytoplasmic function as a chaperone. In a previous study we showed that pneumococcal TF is also cell-wall localized and this finding combined with the immunogenic characteristic of TF, has led us to determine the vaccine potential of TF and decipher its involvement in pneumococcal pathogenesis. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that TF is conserved among pneumococci and has no human homologue. Immunization of mice with recombinant (r)TF elicited a protective immune response against a pneumococcal challenge, suggesting that TF contributes to pneumococcal pathogenesis. Indeed, rTF and an anti-rTF antiserum inhibited bacterial adhesion to human lung derived epithelial cells, indicating that TF contributes to the bacterial adhesion to the host. Moreover, bacteria

SUBMITTER: Cohen A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6414539 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature