Hemolytic Membrane Vesicles of Group B Streptococcus Promote Infection.
J Infect Dis
; 223(8): 1488-1496, 2021 04 23.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32861213
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Group B streptococci (GBS) are ß-hemolytic, Gram-positive bacteria associated with fetal injury, preterm birth, spontaneous abortion, and neonatal infections. A key factor promoting GBS virulence is the ß-hemolysin/cytolysin, a pigmented ornithine rhamnolipid (also known as granadaene) associated with the bacterial surface.METHODS:
A previous study indicated that GBS produce small structures known as membrane vesicles (MVs), which contain virulence-associated proteins. In this study, we show that GBS MVs are pigmented and hemolytic, indicating that granadaene is functionally active in MVs.RESULTS:
In addition, MVs from hyperhemolytic GBS induced greater cell death of neutrophils, T cells, and B cells compared with MVs from isogenic nonhemolytic GBS, implicating MVs as a potential mechanism for granadaene-mediated virulence. Finally, hemolytic MVs reduced oxidative killing of GBS and aggravated morbidity and mortality of neonatal mice infected with GBS.CONCLUSIONS:
These studies, taken together, reveal a novel mechanism by which GBS deploy a crucial virulence factor to promote bacterial dissemination and pathogenesis.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Streptococcal Infections
/
Virulence Factors
/
Hemolysis
Limits:
Animals
/
Pregnancy
Language:
En
Journal:
J Infect Dis
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: