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Biomedical subjects

Jean-Philippe Nougayrède

Publications and source records attributed to Jean-Philippe Nougayrède.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli effector EspF interacts with host protein Abcf2.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a major causative agent of infant diarrhoea in developing countries. The EspF effector protein is injected from EPEC into host cells via a type III secretion system and is involved in the disruption of host intestinal barrier function. In addition, EspF is sorted to mitochondria and has a role in initiating the mitochondrial death pathway. To clarify the manner in which EspF affects host cells, we sought to identify eukaryotic EspF-binding proteins using affinity purification. Abcf2, a protein of unknown function and member of the ABC-transporter family, bound EspF in this assay. An interaction between EspF and Abcf2 was confirmed in a yeast two-hybrid system, by colocalization and by co-immunoprecipitation from EPEC-infected cells. Levels of Abcf2 were decreased in cells infected with EPEC in an EspF dose-dependent manner. Knock-down of Abcf2 expression by RNA interference increased EspF-induced caspase 9 and caspase 3 cleavage. In addition, Abcf2-knocked down cells showed increased caspase 3 cleavage upon treatment with the apoptosis inducing agent staurosporine. These results indicate that EspF induces or facilitates host cell death by targeting and interfering with the putative protective function of Abcf2.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Escherichia coli induces DNA double-strand breaks in eukaryotic cells.

Transient infection of eukaryotic cells with commensal and extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli of phylogenetic group B2 blocks mitosis and induces megalocytosis. This trait is linked to a widely spread genomic island that encodes giant modular nonribosomal peptide and polyketide synthases. Contact with E. coli expressing this gene cluster causes DNA double-strand breaks and activation of the DNA damage checkpoint pathway, leading to cell cycle arrest and eventually to cell death. Discovery of hybrid peptide-polyketide genotoxins in E. coli will change our view on pathogenesis and commensalism and open new biotechnological applications.

Animals↗

Escherichia coli cyclomodulin Cif induces G2 arrest of the host cell cycle without activation of the DNA-damage checkpoint-signalling pathway.

The cycle inhibiting factor (Cif) belongs to a family of bacterial toxins and effector proteins, the cyclomodulins, that deregulate the host cell cycle. Upon injection into HeLa cells by the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) type III secretion system, Cif induces a cytopathic effect characterized by the recruitment of focal adhesion plates and the formation of stress fibres, an irreversible cell cycle arrest at the G(2)/M transition, and sustained inhibitory phosphorylation of mitosis inducer, CDK1. Here, we report that the reference typical EPEC strain B171 produces a functional Cif and that lipid-mediated delivery of purified Cif into HeLa cells induces cell cycle arrest and actin stress fibres, implying that Cif is necessary and sufficient for these effects. EPEC infection of intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2, IEC-6) also induces cell cycle arrest and CDK1 inhibition. The effect of Cif is strikingly similar to that of cytolethal distending toxin (CDT), which inhibits the G(2)/M transition by activating the DNA-damage checkpoint pathway. However, in contrast to CDT, Cif does not cause phosphorylation of histone H2AX, which is associated with DNA double-stranded breaks. Following EPEC infection, the checkpoint effectors ATM/ATR, Chk1 and Chk2 are not activated, the levels of the CDK-activating phosphatases Cdc25B and Cdc25C are not affected, and Cdc25C is not sequestered in host cell cytoplasm. Hence, Cif activates a DNA damage-independent signalling pathway that leads to inhibition of the G(2)/M transition.

Animals↗

Bacterial toxins that modulate host cell-cycle progression.

The mammalian cell cycle is involved in many processes--such as immune responses, maintenance of epithelial barrier functions, and cellular differentiation--that affect the growth and colonization of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore it is not surprising that many bacterial pathogens manipulate the host cell cycle with respect to these functions. Cyclomodulins are a growing family of bacterial toxins and effectors that interfere with the eukaryotic cell cycle. Here, we review some of these cyclomodulins such as cytolethal distending toxins, vacuolating cytotoxin, the polyketide-derived macrolide mycolactone, cycle-inhibiting factor, cytotoxic necrotizing factors, dermonecrotic toxin, Pasteurella multocida toxin and cytotoxin-associated antigen A. We describe and compare their effects on the mammalian cell cycle and their putative role in disease, commensalism and symbiosis. We also discuss a possible link between these cyclomodulins and cancer.

Animals↗

Cyclomodulins: bacterial effectors that modulate the eukaryotic cell cycle.

Microbial pathogens have developed a variety of strategies to manipulate host-cell functions, presumably for their own benefit. We propose the term "cyclomodulins" to describe the growing family of bacterial toxins and effectors that interfere with the eukaryotic cell cycle. Inhibitory cyclomodulins, such as cytolethal distending toxins (CDTs) and the cycle inhibiting factor (Cif), block mitosis and might constitute powerful weapons for immune evasion by inhibiting clonal expansion of lymphocytes. Cell-cycle inhibitors might also impair epithelial-barrier integrity, allowing the entry of pathogenic bacteria into the body or prolonging their local existence by blocking the shedding of epithelia. Conversely, cyclomodulins that promote cellular proliferation, such as the cytotoxic necrotizing factor (CNF), exemplify another subversion mechanism by interfering with pathways of cell differentiation and development. The role of these cyclomodulins in bacterial virulence and carcinogenesis awaits further study and will delineate new perspectives in basic research and therapeutic applications.

Animals↗

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli EspF is targeted to mitochondria and is required to initiate the mitochondrial death pathway.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a causative agent of infant diarrhoea in developing countries. The EspF protein is the product of the espF gene found on the locus of enterocyte effacement, the key pathogenicity island carried by EPEC and enterohemorrhagic E. coli. EspF is injected from adherent EPEC into host cells via a type III secretion system and was previously shown to induce apoptotic cell death and to be required for disruption of host intestinal barrier function. In this work, we show by immunofluorescence and fractionation studies that EspF is targeted to host mitochondria. The N-terminal region of EspF serves as a mitochondrial import signal and, when expressed within cells, can target hybrid green fluorescent protein to mitochondria. Assessment of mitochondrial membrane potential in infected epithelial cells indicated that EspF plays a role in the mitochondrial membrane permeabilization induced by EPEC infection. Furthermore, EspF was associated with the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytoplasm and with caspase-9 and caspase-3 cleavage. These findings indicate a role for EspF in initiating the mitochondrial death pathway.

Caspase 3↗

Genetically engineered enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strain elicits a specific immune response and protects against a virulent challenge.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), a major cause of severe disease with diarrhea in infants, is also involved in weaned rabbit colibacillosis. EPEC O103 is frequent in rabbit-fattening units of Western Europe. It causes high mortality and growth retardation, leading to substantial economic losses. We report here the construction by allelic exchange of an EPEC O103 strain mutated in espB and tir, two essential virulence genes. Upon live oral administration to weaned rabbits, the E22DeltaTir/EspB mutant strain efficiently colonized the intestinal tract without any adverse consequences. The rabbits were challenged with the highly pathogenic parental strain E22. The mutant provided complete protection to rabbits and total resistance to intestinal colonization by E22. In addition, E22DeltaTir/EspB strain induced a specific humoral response against the bacterial adhesin AF/R2. These Abs prevent bacterial attachment to epithelial cells in vitro. These results open the way for the development of an efficient vaccine strategy against rabbit EPEC infections.

Adhesins, Escherichia coli↗

Adhesion of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli to host cells.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) adhere to the intestinal mucosa and to tissue culture cells in a distinctive fashion, destroying microvilli, altering the cytoskeleton and attaching intimately to the host cell membrane in a manner termed the attaching and effacing effect. Typical EPEC strains also form three-dimensional microcolonies in a pattern termed localized adherence. Attaching and effacing, and in particular intimate attachment requires an outer membrane adhesin called intimin, which binds to the translocated intimin receptor, Tir. Tir is produced by the bacteria and delivered to the host cell via a type III secretion system. In addition to this well-established adhesin-receptor pair, numerous other adhesin interactions between EPEC and host cells have been described including those between intimin and cellular receptors and those involving a bundle-forming pilus and flagella and unknown receptors. Much additional work is needed before a full understanding of EPEC adhesion to host cells comes to light.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗