Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin induces apoptosis in endothelial cells |
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Authors: | Menzies B E Kourteva I |
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Institution: | Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. barbara.e.menzies@vanderbilt.edu |
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Abstract: | The internalization of Staphylococcus aureus by cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells was recently shown to induce apoptosis. We examined the role of alpha-toxin, a major pore-forming toxin secreted by S. aureus, in causing apoptosis in vitro. Purified alpha-toxin, at sublytic concentrations, induced apoptosis in endothelial cell monolayers. Comparisons of two alpha-toxin (hla)-positive S. aureus strains and their isogenic hla-deficient mutants in the invasion assay of endothelial cells demonstrated that the capacity to produce alpha-toxin was associated with a greater propensity for apoptosis in endothelial cells. These results demonstrate for the first time that expression of alpha-toxin during endothelial cell invasion by S. aureus enhances apoptosis. |
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Keywords: | Staphylococcus aureus Bacterial toxin Endothelial cell Apoptosis |
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