Outer membrane protein A of Escherichia coli O157:H7 stimulates dendritic cell activation

Alfredo G. Torres, Yongguo Li, Christopher B. Tutt, Lijun Xin, Tonyia Eaves-Pyles, Lynn Soong

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

50 Scopus citations

Abstract

Outer membrane protein A (OmpA) is located in the membrane of Escherichia coli and other gram-negative bacteria and plays a multifunctional role in bacterial physiology and pathogenesis. In enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), especially serotype O157:H7, OmpA interacts with cultured human intestinal cells and likely acts as an important component to stimulate the immune response during infection. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the effect of EHEC OmpA on cytokine production by dendritic cells (DCs) and on DC migration across polarized intestinal epithelial cells. OmpA induced murine DCs to secrete interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-10, and IL-12 in a dose-dependent manner, and this effect was independent of Toll-like receptor 4. Although DCs displayed differential responses to EHEC OmpA and OmpA-specific antibodies enhanced DC cytokine secretion, we cannot discard that other EHEC surface elements were likely to be involved. While OmpA was required for bacterial binding to polarized Caco-2 cells, it was not needed for the induction of cytokine production by Caco-2 cells or for human DC migration across polarized cells.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2676-2685
Number of pages10
JournalInfection and immunity
Volume74
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2006

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases

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