Subcytolytic effects of suilysin on interaction of Streptococcus suis with epithelial cells.

Suilysin is a pore-forming cholesterol-dependent cytolysin secreted by Streptococcus suis (S. suis), an important swine and zoonotic pathogen. The role of suilysin in S. suis host-cell interaction is still unclear. We found a higher adherence and invasion rate of an unencapsulated sly-positive strain in comparison to its isogenic sly-negative mutant. Electron microscopy revealed that formation of membrane ruffles accompanying invasion of the sly-positive strain was abolished in the sly-negative mutant. Inhibition experiments showed that the actin cytoskeleton was involved in suilysin-mediated effects. Point-mutation of the domain putatively responsible for macropore-formation resulted in abolished hemolytic and cytolysin activity, but had no effect on S. suis host cell association. Concluding, our results indicate that subcytolytic suilysin promotes S. suis association with epithelial cells.

Bone marrow concentrate for autologous transplantation in minipigs. Characterization and osteogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells.

Autologous bone marrow plays an increasing role in the treatment of bone, cartilage and tendon healing disorders. Cell-based therapies display promising results in the support of local regeneration, especially therapies using intra-operative one-step treatments with autologous progenitor cells. In the present study, bone marrow-derived cells were concentrated in a point-of-care device and investigated for their mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) characteristics and their osteogenic potential. Bone marrow was harvested from the iliac crest of 16 minipigs. The mononucleated cells (MNC) were concentrated by gradient density centrifugation, cultivated, characterized by flow cytometry and stimulated into osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes. Cell differentiation was investigated by histological and immunohistological staining of relevant lineage markers. The proliferation capacity was determined via colony forming units of fibroblast and of osteogenic alkaline-phosphatase-positive-cells. The MNC could be enriched 3.5-fold in nucleated cell concentrate in comparison to bone marrow. Flow cytometry analysis revealed a positive signal for the MSC markers. Cells could be differentiated into the three lines confirming the MSC character. The cellular osteogenic potential correlated significantly with the percentage of newly formed bone in vivo in a porcine metaphyseal long-bone defect model. This study demonstrates that bone marrow concentrate from minipigs display cells with MSC character and their osteogenic differentiation potential can be used for osseous defect repair in autologous transplantations.

Non-encapsulated strains reveal novel insights in invasion and survival of Streptococcus suis in epithelial cells.

Streptococcus suis is a porcine and human pathogen causing invasive diseases, such as meningitis or septicaemia. Host cell interactions of S. suis have been studied mainly with serotype 2 strains, but multiple capsular serotypes as well as non-typeable strains exist with diverse virulence features. At present, S. suis is considered an extracellular pathogen. However, whether or not it can also invade host cells is a matter of controversial discussions. We have assessed adherence and invasion of S. suis for HEp-2 epithelial cells by comparing 10 serotype 2 strains and four non-typeable (NT) strains. Only the NT strains and a non-encapsulated serotype 2 mutant strain, but none of the serotype 2 strains, adhered strongly and were invasive. Invasion seemed to be affected by environmental signals, as suggested from comparison of strains grown in different media. Further phenotypic and genotypic characterization revealed a high diversity among the different strains. Electron microscopic analysis of invasion of selected invasive NT strains indicated different uptake mechanisms. One strain induced large invaginations comparable to those seen in 'caveolae' mediated uptake, whereas invasion of the other strains was accompanied by formation of filipodia-like membrane protrusions. Invasion of all strains, however, was similarly susceptible to hypertonic sucrose, which inhibits receptor-mediated endocytosis. Irrespective of the uptake pathway, streptococci resided in acidified phago-lysosome like vacuoles. All strains, except one, survived intracellularly as well as extracellular acidic conditions. Survival seemed to be associated with the AdiS protein, an environmentally regulated arginine deiminase of S. suis. Concluding, invasion and survival of NT strains of S. suis in epithelial cells revealed novel evidence that S. suis exhibits a broad variety of virulence-associated features depending on genetic variation and regulation.