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Medical Microbiology

2005

Immunity

Articles 1 - 6 of 6

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Experimental Ocular Toxoplasmosis In Genetically Susceptible And Resistant Mice, Fangli Lu, Shiguang Huang, Mark S. Hu, Lloyd H. Kasper Aug 2005

Experimental Ocular Toxoplasmosis In Genetically Susceptible And Resistant Mice, Fangli Lu, Shiguang Huang, Mark S. Hu, Lloyd H. Kasper

Dartmouth Scholarship

Genetic factors determining the pathogenesis and course of ocular toxoplasmosis are poorly understood. In this study, we explored the development of experimental ocular pathogenesis in genetically dissimilar mice infected with either the RH strain, the PLK strain, or the immunodominant surface antigen 1 (SAG1 [P30])-deficient mutant of the RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii. At 11 days postinfection, ocular infection of C57BL/6 mice with all of the strains of parasites resulted in severe inflammatory lesions and high numbers of parasites in eye tissue; less severe ocular lesions at earlier histopathology and prolonged survival were observed in this mouse strain infected …


Heparin Stimulates Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm Formation, Robert M. Q. Shanks, Niles P. Donegan, Martha L. Graber, Sarah E. Buckingham, Michael Zegans, Ambrose Cheung, George A. O'Toole Aug 2005

Heparin Stimulates Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm Formation, Robert M. Q. Shanks, Niles P. Donegan, Martha L. Graber, Sarah E. Buckingham, Michael Zegans, Ambrose Cheung, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

Heparin, known for its anticoagulant activity, is commonly used in catheter locks. Staphylococcus aureus, a versatile human and animal pathogen, is commonly associated with catheter-related bloodstream infections and has evolved a number of mechanisms through which it adheres to biotic and abiotic surfaces. We demonstrate that heparin increased biofilm formation by several S. aureus strains. Surface coverage and the kinetics of biofilm formation were stimulated, but primary attachment to the surface was not affected. Heparin increased S. aureus cell-cell interactions in a protein synthesis-dependent manner. The addition of heparin rescued biofilm formation of hla, ica, and sarA …


Role Of The Distal Sara Promoters In Sara Expression In Staphylococcus Aureus, Ambrose L. Cheung, Adhar C. Manna Jul 2005

Role Of The Distal Sara Promoters In Sara Expression In Staphylococcus Aureus, Ambrose L. Cheung, Adhar C. Manna

Dartmouth Scholarship

The global regulatory locus sarA comprises a 375-bp open reading frame that is driven by three promoters, the proximal P1 and distal P3 and P2 promoters. We mutated the weaker P3 and P2 promoters to ascertain the effect of the change on SarA protein and target gene expression. Our results indicated that the solely active P1 promoter led to a lower SarA protein level, which has an effect on agr transcription and subsequently had corresponding effects on hla, sspA, and spa transcription, probably in both agr-independent and agr-dependent manners.


Thymidine-Dependent Staphylococcus Aureus Small-Colony Variants Are Associated With Extensive Alterations In Regulator And Virulence Gene Expression Profiles, Barbara C. Kahl, Gunnar Belling, Petra Becker, Indranil Chatterjee, Katrin Wardecki, Karin Hilgert, Ambrose Cheung Jul 2005

Thymidine-Dependent Staphylococcus Aureus Small-Colony Variants Are Associated With Extensive Alterations In Regulator And Virulence Gene Expression Profiles, Barbara C. Kahl, Gunnar Belling, Petra Becker, Indranil Chatterjee, Katrin Wardecki, Karin Hilgert, Ambrose Cheung

Dartmouth Scholarship

Chronic airway infection is a hallmark of cystic fibrosis (CF) and many CF patients are infected persistently by Staphylococcus aureus. Thymidine-dependent trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SXT)-resistant S. aureus small-colony variants (SCVs), often in combination with isogenic normal S. aureus phenotypes, are highly prevalent and persistent in airway secretions of CF patients due to long-term SXT therapy (B. Kahl, M. Herrmann, A. S. Everding, H. G. Koch, K. Becker, E. Harms, R. A. Proctor, and G.


Rat/Mgra, A Regulator Of Autolysis, Is A Regulator Of Virulence Genes In Staphylococcus Aureus, Susham Ingavale, Willem Van Wamel, Thanh T. Luong, Chia Y. Lee, Ambrose L. Cheung Mar 2005

Rat/Mgra, A Regulator Of Autolysis, Is A Regulator Of Virulence Genes In Staphylococcus Aureus, Susham Ingavale, Willem Van Wamel, Thanh T. Luong, Chia Y. Lee, Ambrose L. Cheung

Dartmouth Scholarship

We have previously identified mgrA (rat) as a regulator of autolysis in Staphylococcus aureus. Besides its effect on autolytic activity, we recently found alterations in the expression of regulator and target virulence genes in the mgrA mutant. Northern analysis and transcription fusion assays showed that inactivation of mgrA has led to the downregulation of RNAIII of agr and hla and upregulation of sarS and spa. Although both SarA and agr are activators of α-hemolysin and a repressors of protein A synthesis, we found that the transcription of sarA was not affected in the mgrA mutant and …


Interleukin-17/Interleukin-17 Receptor-Mediated Signaling Is Important For Generation Of An Optimal Polymorphonuclear Response Against Toxoplasma Gondii Infection, Michelle N. Kelly, Jay K. Kolls, Kyle Happel, Joseph D. Schwartzman Jan 2005

Interleukin-17/Interleukin-17 Receptor-Mediated Signaling Is Important For Generation Of An Optimal Polymorphonuclear Response Against Toxoplasma Gondii Infection, Michelle N. Kelly, Jay K. Kolls, Kyle Happel, Joseph D. Schwartzman

Dartmouth Scholarship

We investigated the role of interleukin-17 (IL-17)/IL-17 receptor (IL-17R)-mediated signaling in the protective immunity against Toxoplasma gondii. IL-17R−/− mice developed a normal adaptive immunity against the parasite. However, increased mortality in the knockout animals can be attributed to a defect in the migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes to infected sites during early infection.