TY - JOUR
T1 - Interactions between effector proteins of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa type III secretion system do not significantly affect several measures of disease severity in mammals
AU - Shaver, Ciara M.
AU - Hauser, Alan R.
PY - 2006/1
Y1 - 2006/1
N2 - The effector proteins of the type III secretion systems of many bacterial pathogens act in a coordinated manner to subvert host cells and facilitate the development and progression of disease. It is unclear whether interactions between the type-III-secreted proteins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa result in similar effects on the disease process. We have previously characterized the contributions to pathogenesis of the type-III-secreted proteins ExoS, ExoT and ExoU when secreted individually. In this study, we extend our prior work to determine whether these proteins have greater than expected effects on virulence when secreted in combination. In vitro cytotoxicity and anti-internalization activities were not enhanced when effector proteins were secreted in combinations rather than alone. Likewise in a mouse model of pneumonia, bacterial burden in the lungs, dissemination and mortality attributable to ExoS, ExoT and ExoU were not synergistically increased when combinations of these effector proteins were secreted. Because of the absence of an appreciable synergistic increase in virulence when multiple effector proteins were secreted in combination, we conclude that any cooperation between ExoS, ExoT and ExoU does not translate into a synergistically significant enhancement of disease severity as measured by these assays.
AB - The effector proteins of the type III secretion systems of many bacterial pathogens act in a coordinated manner to subvert host cells and facilitate the development and progression of disease. It is unclear whether interactions between the type-III-secreted proteins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa result in similar effects on the disease process. We have previously characterized the contributions to pathogenesis of the type-III-secreted proteins ExoS, ExoT and ExoU when secreted individually. In this study, we extend our prior work to determine whether these proteins have greater than expected effects on virulence when secreted in combination. In vitro cytotoxicity and anti-internalization activities were not enhanced when effector proteins were secreted in combinations rather than alone. Likewise in a mouse model of pneumonia, bacterial burden in the lungs, dissemination and mortality attributable to ExoS, ExoT and ExoU were not synergistically increased when combinations of these effector proteins were secreted. Because of the absence of an appreciable synergistic increase in virulence when multiple effector proteins were secreted in combination, we conclude that any cooperation between ExoS, ExoT and ExoU does not translate into a synergistically significant enhancement of disease severity as measured by these assays.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=30744443237&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=30744443237&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1099/mic.0.28368-0
DO - 10.1099/mic.0.28368-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 16385124
AN - SCOPUS:30744443237
SN - 1350-0872
VL - 152
SP - 143
EP - 152
JO - Journal of General Microbiology
JF - Journal of General Microbiology
IS - 1
ER -