Abstract:
Summary:
Yersinia enterocolitica (Y. e.) by translocating Yersinia outer proteins (Yop), into host cells affects intracellular signalling pathways and induces cell death in antigen-presenting cells (APC) like macrophages and dendritic cells (DC). Thereby, Y. e. might subvert the immune response by the host.
Here, the influence of the cysteine protease activity of YopP in cell death induction in murine DC was investigated. By the use of appropriate Y. e. mutants, this work demonstrated that the activity of cysteine protease of YopP is essential for YopP-induced DC death. Furthermore, to analyze the significance of Toll-like-receptor 4 in YopP-induced cell death, DC from TLR-deficient mice were infected with Y. e.. These experiments revealed that YopP-induced activation of caspases and induction of DC death is dependent on TLR4 at least up to 4 hours post infection. Afterwards, however, cell death induction by YopP was independent of TLR4. Moreover, analysis of the death receptor expression on DC (CD95/Fas and TRAIL-R) and infection experiments with DC fromTNF-R1-deficient mice demonstrated, that death receptors play no significant role in YopP-induced cell death. Finally, YopP induced DC death was induced already 90 min after infection. Hence, it was not possible to clarify the role of YopP-mediated inhibition of NF-kappaB activation in DC, which was detectable simultaneously.
In summary, the results suggest that YopP by its cysteine protease activity directly or indirecty activates caspases and thereby induces cell death in DC. This process is accelerated by LPS of Y. e. via TLR4 signaling.