IgA proteases are extracellular enzymes of bacteria that have human immunoglobulin A of the IgA1 subclass as their only known substrate. The identification of this enzyme in neisseria prompted us to determine whether IgA protease production correlates with pathogenicity within this genus. Multiple clinical isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, N. meningitidis and eight species of non-pathogenic neisseria that commonly colonize the normal human nasopharynx were examined for IgA protease activity. All N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis strains were enzyme positive; all non-pathogenic strains were negative. Among meningococci, the enzyme occurred in strains carried harmlessly in the nasopharynx as well as those isolated from systemic infections. Because mucosal immune defense is largely mediated by antibodies of the IgA isotype, the finding that IgA protease activity is linked specifically to the pathogenic neisseria suggests that the enzyme may be involved in the pathogenesis of neisserial infection.
This article has been cited by other articles:
Senior, B. W., Woof, J. M.
(2006). Sites in the CH3 Domain of Human IgA1 That Influence Sensitivity to Bacterial IgA1 Proteases. J. Immunol.
177: 3913-3919
[Abstract][Full Text]
Senior, B. W., Woof, J. M.
(2005). The Influences of Hinge Length and Composition on the Susceptibility of Human IgA to Cleavage by Diverse Bacterial IgA1 Proteases. J. Immunol.
174: 7792-7799
[Abstract][Full Text]
Senior, B. W., Woof, J. M.
(2005). Effect of Mutations in the Human Immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) Hinge on Its Susceptibility to Cleavage by Diverse Bacterial IgA1 Proteases. Infect. Immun.
73: 1515-1522
[Abstract][Full Text]
Henderson, I. R., Navarro-Garcia, F., Desvaux, M., Fernandez, R. C., Ala'Aldeen, D.
(2004). Type V Protein Secretion Pathway: the Autotransporter Story. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev.
68: 692-744
[Abstract][Full Text]
Collin, M., Olsen, A.
(2003). Extracellular Enzymes with Immunomodulating Activities: Variations on a Theme in Streptococcus pyogenes. Infect. Immun.
71: 2983-2992
[Full Text]
Vitovski, S., Dunkin, K. T., Howard, A. J., Sayers, J. R.
(2002). Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae in Carriage and Disease: A Difference in IgA1 Protease Activity Levels. JAMA
287: 1699-1705
[Abstract][Full Text]
Shafer, W. M., Datta, A., Kumar Kolli, V.S., Mahbubur Rahman, M., Balthazar, J. T., Martin, L. E., Veal, W. L., Stephens, D. S., Carlson, R.
(2002). Phase variable changes in genes lgtA and lgtC within the lgtABCDE operon of Neisseria gonorrhoeae can modulate gonococcal susceptibility to normal human serum. Innate Immunity
8: 47-58
[Abstract]
Tsirpouchtsidis, A., Hurwitz, R., Brinkmann, V., Meyer, T. F., Haas, G.
(2002). Neisserial Immunoglobulin A1 Protease Induces Specific T-Cell Responses in Humans. Infect. Immun.
70: 335-344
[Abstract][Full Text]
van Deuren, M., Brandtzaeg, P., van der Meer, J. W. M.
(2000). Update on Meningococcal Disease with Emphasis on Pathogenesis and Clinical Management. Clin. Microbiol. Rev.
13: 144-166
[Abstract][Full Text]
Lorenzen, D. R., Dux, F., Wolk, U., Tsirpouchtsidis, A., Haas, G., Meyer, T. F.
(1999). Immunoglobulin A1 Protease, an Exoenzyme of Pathogenic Neisseriae, Is a Potent Inducer of Proinflammatory Cytokines. JEM
190: 1049-1058
[Abstract][Full Text]
VITOVSKI, S., READ, R. C., SAYERS, J. R.
(1999). Invasive isolates of Neisseria meningitidis possess enhanced immunoglobulin A1 protease activity compared to colonizing strains. FASEB J.
13: 331-337
[Abstract][Full Text]
Hedges, S. R., Mayo, M. S., Kallman, L., Mestecky, J., Hook, E. W. III, Russell, M. W.
(1998). Evaluation of Immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) Protease and IgA1 Protease-Inhibitory Activity in Human Female Genital Infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Infect. Immun.
66: 5826-5832
[Abstract][Full Text]
Scannapieco, F. A.
(1994). Saliva-Bacterium Interactions in Oral Microbial Ecology. CROBM
5: 203-248
[Abstract][Full Text]
Rice, P. A., Schachter, J.
(1991). Pathogenesis of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: What Are the Questions?. JAMA
266: 2587-2593
[Abstract]
HOOK, E. W. III, HOLMES, K. K.
(1985). Gonococcal Infections. ANN INTERN MED
102: 229-243
[Abstract]
Previous
