Kengatharan, K.M., De Kimpe, S., Robson, C. et al. (2 more authors) (1998) Mechanism of gram-positive shock: Identification of peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid moieties essential in the induction of nitric oxide synthase, shock, and multiple organ failure. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 188 (2). pp. 305-315. ISSN 0022-1007
Abstract
The incidence of septic shock caused by gram-positive bacteria has risen markedly in the last few years. It is largely unclear how gram-positive bacteria (which do not contain endotoxin) cause shock and multiple organ failure. We have discovered recently that two cell wall fragments of the pathogenic gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and peptidoglycan (PepG), synergize to cause the induction of nitric oxide (NO) formation, shock, and organ injury in the rat. We report here that a specific fragment of PepG, N-acetylglucosamine-b-[1→4]-N-acetylmuramyl-l-alanine–d-isoglutamine, is the moiety within the PepG polymer responsible for the synergism with LTA (or the cytokine interferon g) to induce NO formation in the murine macrophage cell line J774.2. However, this moiety is also present in the PepG of the nonpathogenic bacterium Bacillus subtilis. We have discovered subsequently that S. aureus LTA synergizes with PepG from either bacterium to cause enhanced NO formation, shock, and organ injury in the rat, whereas the LTA from B. subtilis does not synergize with PepG of either bacterium. Thus, we propose that the structure of LTA determines the ability of a particular bacterium to cause shock and multiple organ failure (pathogenicity), while PepG acts to amplify any response induced by LTA.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 1998 Rockefeller University Press. Made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC-BY-NC-SA) with open access after six months |
Keywords: | gram-positive shock; nitric oxide; peptidoglycan; lipoteichoic acid |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > School of Biosciences (Sheffield) > Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 06 Jan 2017 10:22 |
Last Modified: | 06 Jan 2017 10:22 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.188.2.305 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Rockefeller University Press |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1084/jem.188.2.305 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:108119 |