Internalin B is essential for adhesion and mediates the invasion of Listeria monocytogenes into human endothelial cells

Listeria monocytogenes causes rhombencephalitis in humans and animals and also affects the fetus in utero , causing disseminated sepsis. In both instances, the infection occurs by the crossing of endothelial cells lining a physiological barrier, the blood–brain barrier or the transplacental barrier. In this study, the ability of L. monocytogenes wild-type EGD to invade human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was evaluated using wild-type bacteria and isogenic Listeria mutants. Here, we show that invasion of HUVECs by L. monocytogenes is dependent on the expression of the internalin B gene product. This was demonstrated in several ways. First, L. monocytogenes strains lacking the inl B gene did not invade HUVECs. Secondly, avid invasion was obtained when a strain deleted for inl AB was complemented with a plasmid harbouring inl B only, whereas strains expressing inl A did not enter HUVECs. Thirdly, entry of wild-type EGD could be blocked effectively with antibodies to InlB. Fourthly, cell binding assays and flow cytometry with HUVECs showed binding of purified InlB, but not InlA, suggesting a tropism of InlB for this cell type. Finally, physical association of purified native InlB with the surface of non-invasive mutants dramatically increased their ability to invade HUVECs. In laser-scanning confocal microscopy, binding of InlB was observed as focal and localized patches on the cell surface of HUVECs. Qualitative examination of the entry process by scanning electron microscopy revealed that both wild-type EGD and a recombinant strain overexpressing only InlB enter HUVECs in a similar fashion. The entry process was polarized, involved single bacteria and occurred over the entire surface of endothelial cells.     

Internalins: a complex family of leucine-rich repeat-containing proteins in Listeria monocytogenes

The Listeria monocytogenes genome includes a large family of proteins harbouring leucine-rich repeats known as internalins (Inl). The generation of novel mutants and comparative analysis of Inl variability among Listeria and other bacterial genomes suggest that beyond the extensively-studied invasins, InlA and InlB, additional internalins also play important functions in the infectious process.     

The InlB protein of Listeria monocytogenes is sufficient to promote entry into mammalian cells

InlB is one of the two Listeria monocytogenes invasion proteins required for bacterial entry into mammalian cells. Entry into human epithelial cells such as Caco-2 requires InlA, whereas InlB is needed for entry into cultured hepatocytes and some epithelial or fibroblast cell lines such as Vero, HEp-2 and HeLa cells. InlB-mediated entry requires tyrosine phosphorylation, cytoskeletal rearrangements and activation of the host protein phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase, probably in response to engagement of a receptor. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that InlB is sufficient to promote internalization. Indeed, coating of normally non-invasive bacteria or inert latex beads with InlB leads to internalization into mammalian cells. In addition, a soluble form of InlB also appears to promote uptake of non-invasive bacteria, albeit at a very low level. Similar to entry of L. monocytogenes , uptake of InlB-coated beads required tyrosine phosphorylation in the host cell, PI 3-kinase activity and cytoskeletal reorganization. Taken together, these data indicate that InlB is sufficient for entry of L. monocytogenes into host cells and suggest that this protein is an effector of host cell signalling pathways.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Listeria </Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">monocytogenes</Emphasis> internalins bind to the human intestinal mucin MUC2

Listeria monocytogenes cross the intestinal barrier causing systemic infections with high mortality rates. Intestinal infection triggers release of intestinal mucus. We show that three L. monocytogenes internalins, InlB, InlC and InlJ all bound to MUC2 (the major component of intestinal mucus), but not to the cell surface mucin MUC1. Binding was strongest to InlB>InlC>InlJ (P < 0.001). Listerial internalins are characterized by their internalin domain, composed by leucine rich repeats (LRR) followed by an immunogloblin-like region. We report here that the internalin domain of the InlJ protein also bound MUC2, suggesting that an internalin domain is sufficient to bind to MUC2.     

Listerial invasion protein internalin B promotes entry into ileal Peyer's patches in vivo

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) invades the host intestine using listerial invasion proteins, internalins. The in vivo role of internalin A (InlA) and internalin B (InlB) is reported here. Intragastric (i.g.) administration and ligated loop assays with ΔinlB-Lm demonstrated that a lack of InlB significantly attenuates the invasive ability of Lm into various organs. On the other hand, InlA(m)-Lm expressing a mutant InlA with two substitutions, S192N and Y369S, which has been reported to increase the affinity of InlA to mouse E-cadherin, resulted in little increase in intestinal infection according to both ligated loop and i.g. infection assays. Lm preferentially enters ileal Peyer's patch (PP) via M cells and ΔinlB-Lm showed severely reduced ability to invade though these cells. The present results reveal the importance of InlB, which accelerates listerial invasion into M cells on ileal PPs in vivo.     

InlB-mediated Listeria monocytogenes internalization requires a balanced phospholipase D activity maintained through phospho-cofilin

Internalization of Listeria monocytogenes into non-phagocytic cells is tightly controlled by host cell actin dynamics and cell membrane alterations. However, knowledge about the impact of phosphatidylcholine cleavage driven by host cell phospholipase D (PLD) on Listeria internalization into epithelial cells is limited. Here, we report that L. monocytogenes activates PLD in Vero cells during the internalization. With immunostaining it was shown that both PLD1 and PLD2 surrounded partially or completely the phagocytic cup of most L. monocytogenes. Either up- or down-regulation of PLD expression (activity) diminished Listeria internalization. Both PLD1 and PLD2 in Vero cells were required for efficient Listeria internalization, and could substitute for each other in the regulation of Listeria internalization. Further, exogenous InlB activated host cell PLD1 and PLD2 via the Met receptor, and restored host PLD activation by InlB-deficient L. monocytogenes. InlB-induced PLD activation and Listeria internalization were tightly controlled by phospho-cycling of cofilin. PLD1, but not PLD2, was involved in cofilin-mediated PLD activation and Listeria internalization. These data indicate that cofilin-dependent PLD activation induced by InlB may represent a novel regulation mechanism for efficient Listeria internalization into epithelial cells.     

Attachment Strength of Listeria monocytogenes and its Internalin-Negative Mutants

A single cell of Listeria monocytogenes attached on food contact surfaces can be a potential source of cross-contamination in a food-processing plant. To see whether internalin A (InlA) and B (InlB), major surface proteins on L. monocytogenes, play a significant role in the attachment process, wild-type L. monocytogenes EGD (LM_EGD) and its isogenic internalin-negative mutants (LM_EGDΔinlA, LM_EGDΔinlB, and LM_EGDΔinlAB) were used to determine attachment strength on inert glass surface. Western blot analysis using InlA and InlB antibodies confirmed the absence of InlA in LM_EGDΔinlA, InlB in LM_EGDΔinlB, and both InlA and InlB in LM_EGDΔinlAB. Regardless of initial attachment numbers, LM_EGD which expressed both InlA and InlB proteins exhibited the strongest attachment strength while the double mutant (LM_EGDΔinlAB) exhibited the weakest. The two single mutants (LM_EGDΔinlA and LM_EGDΔinlB) that expressed only one type of the internalins were shown to have intermediate attachment strength. These results suggest that both InlA and InlB expression play a significant role in the attachment strength of L. monocytogenes on glass surface.     

Invasion of mammalian cells by Listeria monocytogenes: functional mimicry to subvert cellular functions

The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes has the unusual capacity to enter and to multiply in nonphagocytic cells. Bacterially induced phagocytosis is triggered mainly by the two surface proteins internalin (also called InlA) and InlB, which interact with host cell receptors and either mimic or act in place of the normal cellular ligands. Internalin interacts specifically with human E-cadherin, whereas InlB activates the tyrosine kinase receptor Met and also interacts with the ubiquitous receptor gC1qR and proteoglycans. Signals induced by crosstalk between the bacterium and the host cell allow internalization, which is a prelude to intracellular multiplication, actin-based movement and spread of the bacterium from cell to cell. Manipulating the bacterial invasion proteins offers us an unprecedented tool with which to understand the complex phenomenon of phagocytosis.     

Species specificity of the Listeria monocytogenes InlB protein

InlA and InlB mediate L. monocytogenes entry into eukaryotic cells. InlA is required for the crossing of the intestinal and placental barriers. InlA uses E-cadherin as receptor in a species-specific manner. The human E-cadherin but not the mouse E-cadherin is a receptor for InlA. In human cells, InlB uses Met and gC1qR as receptors. By studying the role of InlB in vivo, we found that activation of Met by InlB is species-specific. In mice, InlB is important for liver and spleen colonization, but not for the crossing of the intestinal epithelium. Strikingly, the virulence of a DeltainlB deletion mutant is not attenuated in guinea pigs and rabbits. Guinea pig and rabbit cell lines do not respond to InlB, although expressing Met and gC1qR, but support InlB-mediated responses upon human Met gene transfection, indicating that InlB does not recognize or stimulate guinea pig and rabbit Met. In guinea pig cells, the effect of human Met gene transfection on InlB-dependent entry is increased upon cotransfection with human gc1qr gene, showing the additive roles of gC1qR and Met. These results unravel a second L. monocytogenes species specificity critical for understanding human listeriosis and emphasize the need for developing new animal models for studying InlA and InlB functions in the same animal model.     

Distinct protein patterns associated with Listeria monocytogenes InlA- or InlB-phagosomes

Internalization of Listeria monocytogenes into non-phagocytic cells is mediated by the interactions between the two bacterial invasion proteins InlA (internalin) and InlB and their cellular surface receptors E-cadherin and c-Met. To get an insight into all the cellular components necessary for uptake and early intracellular life, we undertook a global proteomic characterization of the early listerial phagosome in the human epithelial cell line LoVo. First, we proceeded to an immunocytochemical characterization of intracellular marker recruitment to phagosomes containing latex beads coated with InlA or InlB. E-cadherin and c-Met were, as expected, rapidly recruited to the phagosomal formation site. Phagosomes subsequently acquired the early endosomal antigen 1 (EEA1) and the lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1), while presenting a more delayed enrichment of the lysosomal hydrolase cathepsin D. Early phagosomes devoid of lysosomal, endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi enzymatic activities could then be isolated by subcellular fractionation of LoVo cells. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DPAGE) revealed differences between the protein profiles of InlA- or InlB-phagosomes and those of early/late endosomes or lysosomes of naive LoVo cells. One major protein specifically recruited on the InlB-phagosomes was identified by mass spectrometry as MSF, a previously reported member of the septin family of GTPases. MSF forms filaments that co-localize with the actin cytoskeleton in resting cells and it is recruited to the entry site of InlB-coated beads. These results suggest that MSF is a putative effector of the InlB-mediated internalization of L. monocytogenes into host cells.     

InlA and InlC2 of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Listeria monocytogenes</Emphasis> Serotype 4b Are Two Internalin Proteins Eliciting Humoral Immune Responses Common to Listerial Infection of Various Host Species

The internalins InlA and InlC2 are encoded proteins from two strongly immunoreactive clones recently identified by differential immunoscreening of a Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b genomic expression library during the search of the gene products of L. monocytogenes specifically induced in vivo during infection (Yu WL, Dan H, Lin M. J Med Microbiol 56:888–895, 2007). In this study, we examined the humoral immune response against InlA and InlC2 in various L. monocytogenes-infected hosts using Western blots. InlA and InlC2 were recognized by antibodies in experimentally infected rabbits but not by antisera from rabbits immunized with the heat-killed bacterium. Similar strong immunological reactions to InlA and InlC2 were seen with antisera from infected guinea pigs, cattle, and sheep but not with those from the animals (guinea pigs or sheep) receiving heat-killed bacteria. This study provides the first experimental evidence that InlA and InlC2 are the in vivo induced or upregulated antigens for humoral immune responses that are common to listerial infection of various host species. These two immunogenic proteins may thus be explored as reagents for the laboratory diagnosis of listeriosis or candidates for vaccine development.     

Regulated shift from helical to polar localization of Listeria monocytogenes cell wall-anchored proteins

Many virulence factors of Gram-positive bacterial pathogens are covalently anchored to the peptidoglycan (PG) by sortase enzymes. However, for rod-shaped bacteria little is known about the spatiotemporal organization of these surface proteins in the cell wall. Here we report the three-dimensional (3D) localization of the PG-bound virulence factors InlA, InlH, InlJ, and SvpA in the envelope of Listeria monocytogenes under different growth conditions. We found that all PG-anchored proteins are positioned along the lateral cell wall in nonoverlapping helices. However, these surface proteins can also become localized at the pole and asymmetrically distributed when specific regulatory pathways are activated. InlA and InlJ are enriched at poles when expressed at high levels in exponential-phase bacteria. InlA and InlH, which are σ(B)dependent, specifically relocalize to the septal cell wall and subsequently to the new pole in cells entering stationary phase. The accumulation of InlA and InlH in the septal region also occurs when oxidative stress impairs bacterial growth. In contrast, the iron-dependent protein SvpA is present at the old pole and is excluded from the septum and new pole of bacteria grown under low-iron conditions. We conclude that L. monocytogenes rapidly reorganizes the spatial localization of its PG proteins in response to changes in environmental conditions such as nutrient deprivation or other stresses. This dynamic control would distribute virulence factors at specific sites during the infectious process.     

Entry of the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes into mammalian cells

The bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes causes food-borne illnesses leading to meningitis or abortion. Listeria provokes its internalization ('entry') into mammalian cells that are normally non-phagocytic, such as intestinal epithelial cells and hepatocytes. Entry provides access to a nutrient-rich cytosol and allows translocation across anatomical barriers. Here I discuss the two major internalization pathways used by Listeria. These pathways are initiated by binding of the bacterial surface proteins InlA or InlB to their respective host receptors, E-cadherin or Met. InlA mediates traversal of the intestinal barrier, whereas InlB promotes infection of the liver. At the cellular level, both InlA- and InlB-dependent entry require host signalling that promotes cytoskeletal rearrangements and pathogen engulfment. However, many of the specific signalling proteins in the two entry routes differ. InlA-mediated uptake uses components of adherens junctions that are coupled to F-actin and myosin, whereas InlB-dependent entry involves cytosolic adaptors that bridge Met to regulators of F-actin, including phosphoinositide 3-kinase and activators of the Arp2/3 complex. Unexpectedly, entry directed by InlB also involves endocytic components. Future work on InlA and InlB will lead to a better understanding of virulence, and may also provide novel insights into the normal biological functions of E-cadherin and Met.     

Interactions between Listeria monocytogenes and host mammalian cells

Bacterial pathogens have developed a variety of strategies to induce their own internalization into mammalian cells which are normally nonphagocytic. The Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes enters into many cultured cell types using two bacterial surface proteins, InlA (internalin) and InlB. In both cases, entry takes place after engagement of a receptor and induction of a series of signaling events.     

Listeria monocytogenes internalin and E-cadherin: from structure to pathogenesis

Many bacterial pathogens that invade non-phagocytic cells first interact with host cell surface receptors. Adhesion to the host cell is followed by the activation of specific host signalling pathways that mediate bacterial internalization. The food-borne Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes makes use of two surface proteins, internalin (InlA) and InlB to engage in a species-specific manner the adhesion molecule E-cadherin and the hepatocyte growth factor receptor Met, respectively, to induce its internalization. After entry, Listeria has the capacity to spread from cell to cell and disseminate to its target organs after breaching the intestinal, blood–brain and placental barriers in human. InlA but not InlB is critical for the crossing of the intestinal barrier, whereas the conjugated action of both InlA and InlB mediates the crossing of the placental barrier. Here we review the InlA–E-cadherin interaction, the signalling downstream of this interaction, the molecular mechanisms involved in bacterial internalization and the role of InlA–E-cadherin interaction in the breaching of host barriers and the progression to listeriosis. Together, this review illustrates how in vitro data were validated by epidemiological approaches and in vivo studies using both natural hosts and genetically engineered animal models, thereby elucidating key issues of listeriosis pathophysiology.     

Use of PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism of inlA for rapid screening of Listeria monocytogenes strains deficient in the ability to invade Caco-2 cells

A PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method was developed in order to screen a large number of strains for impaired adhesion to epithelial cells due to expression of truncated InlA. inlA polymorphism was analyzed by PCR-RFLP in order to correlate inlA PCR-RFLP profiles and production of truncated InlA. Thirty-seven Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from various sources, including five noninvasive and two invasive reference strains, were screened. Two endonucleases (AluI and Tsp509I) were used, and they generated five composite profiles. Thirteen L. monocytogenes isolates were characterized by two specific PCR-RFLP profiles similar to PCR-RFLP profiles of noninvasive reference strains previously described as strains that produce truncated InlA. Ten of the 13 isolates showed low abilities to invade human epithelial Caco-2 cells. However, 4 of the 13 isolates were able to invade Caco-2 cells like reference strains containing complete InlA. Sequencing of inlA and Western blot analysis confirmed that truncated InlA was expressed in the 10 L. monocytogenes strains which were isolated from food. This PCR-RFLP method allowed us to identify 10 new strains expressing a truncated internalin. Based on the results obtained in this study, the PCR-RFLP method seems to be an interesting method for rapidly screening L. monocytogenes strains deficient in the ability to invade Caco-2 cells when a sizeable number of strains are studied.     

The pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O mediates a novel entry pathway of L. monocytogenes into human hepatocytes

Intracellular pathogens have evolved diverse strategies to invade and survive within host cells. Among the most studied facultative intracellular pathogens, Listeria monocytogenes is known to express two invasins-InlA and InlB-that induce bacterial internalization into nonphagocytic cells. The pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO) facilitates bacterial escape from the internalization vesicle into the cytoplasm, where bacteria divide and undergo cell-to-cell spreading via actin-based motility. In the present study we demonstrate that in addition to InlA and InlB, LLO is required for efficient internalization of L. monocytogenes into human hepatocytes (HepG2). Surprisingly, LLO is an invasion factor sufficient to induce the internalization of noninvasive Listeria innocua or polystyrene beads into host cells in a dose-dependent fashion and at the concentrations produced by L. monocytogenes. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying LLO-induced bacterial entry, we constructed novel LLO derivatives locked at different stages of the toxin assembly on host membranes. We found that LLO-induced bacterial or bead entry only occurs upon LLO pore formation. Scanning electron and fluorescence microscopy studies show that LLO-coated beads stimulate the formation of membrane extensions that ingest the beads into an early endosomal compartment. This LLO-induced internalization pathway is dynamin-and F-actin-dependent, and clathrin-independent. Interestingly, further linking pore formation to bacteria/bead uptake, LLO induces F-actin polymerization in a tyrosine kinase-and pore-dependent fashion. In conclusion, we demonstrate for the first time that a bacterial pathogen perforates the host cell plasma membrane as a strategy to activate the endocytic machinery and gain entry into the host cell.     

The development of rapid fluorescence-based immunoassays, using quantum dot-labelled antibodies for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes cell surface proteins

Listeria monocytogenes is an important food-borne pathogen with an extremely high mortality rate (approximately 30%). Therefore, a highly sensitive, reproducible and rapid assay for its detection is vital. L. monocytogenes cells employ two surface bound proteins, Internalin A (InlA) and Internalin B (InlB) to promote invasion into host cells. Recombinant forms of both proteins were previously cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. In this paper we describe how the InlB protein was sub-divided into three shorter overlapping peptide fragments yielding truncated functional protein of M(R) 23, 35 and 45 kDa, respectively. Purification of the InlB fragments by immobilised metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) was optimised and confirmed by electrophoresis and Western blotting. Identification of the antibody binding regions was achieved by probing the expressed polypeptide domains with a panel of antibodies and antibody fragments. The cloned peptide fragments were also used to develop novel fluorescence-based immunoassays incorporating quantum dots. The application of quantum dot-labelled anti-InlA monoclonal antibodies for immunostaining L. monocytogenes was also demonstrated.