PMID: 15232165Jul 3, 2004Paper

Interaction of human factor H with PspC of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

The Indian Journal of Medical Research
S DaveLarry S McDaniel

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae has acquired virulence factors such as the polysaccharide capsule and various surface proteins, which prevent opsonization mediated by the complement system. PspC is one of the multi-functional pneumococcal surface proteins capable of eliciting an antibody response in mice. Our study further explores the role of pneumococcal surface proteins in resistance to complement mediated opsonophagocytosis by providing evidence that PspC binds human Factor H (FH), a regulatory protein of the alternative complement pathway. The present study was carried out to map the binding regions on PspC and FH, and to assess the functional activity of FH upon binding to PspC. FH binding to D39 and other pneumococcal strains was observed by flow cytometry. A series of FH truncated and deletion mutants and PspC mutants were used to localize binding regions within these molecules. The functional activity of FH upon binding to PspC was measured by a haemolysis assay. FH binding to D39 and not to TRE108 (PspC-) cells was demonstrated by flow cytometry. Pneumococcal isolates of 14 different strains varied in their ability to bind FH. The binding region of FH within PspC to the first 225 amino acids of the alpha-helical domain was l...Continue Reading

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