Campylobacter jejuni permeabilizes the host cell membrane by short chain lysophosphatidylethanolamines

Abstract P16

Presenter: Xuefeng Cao (Utrecht University)

Lysophospholipids (LPLs) are metabolic intermediates characterized by a single acyl chain and a polar head group. In eukaryotes, LPLs are crucial for regulating epithelial integrity and homeostasis. However, few studies have pinpointed the LPLs from host intestinal microbiota that may contribute to cellular damage during infection The function, localization or their role during infection of the LPLs produced by bacteria has hardly been investigated. The membrane of the human bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni possesses a high content of LPLs more than 30% of the phospholipids are LPLs which are mainly catalyzed by phospholipase A (PldA). Here we show by LC-MS/MS analysis that both (Sn)-1 as well as (Sn)-2 LPLs are produced by the C. jejuni PldA enzyme. Purified LPLs from C. jejuni are capable to lyse erythrocytes and are toxic for tissue culture cells. The strong hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity are mainly caused by short fatty acid containing lysophosphatidylethanolamines (lysoPE). Culture supernatant of C. jejuni showed no detectible hemolytic nor cytotoxicity responses indicating that those activities are induced by physical connecting between C.jejuni and target cell membrane. Our results show that C. jejuni short fatty acids chain lysoPE may be regarded as a novel virulence factor towards host cells inducing hemolytic and cytolytic effects.

About the presenter

https://www.uu.nl/medewerkers/XCao

Presenting in Speaking session 2 - Pathogenesis