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Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology
A Novel Mode Of Action Of C-Reactive Protein In Protecting Against Streptococcus Pneumoniae Infection And Synergy With Antibiotics, Donald Ngwa
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a part of the innate immune system, is synthesized in the liver, its blood level increases in inflammatory states, and it binds to Streptococcus pneumoniae. The conformation of CRP is altered under conditions mimicking an inflammatory milieu and this non-native CRP also binds to immobilized/aggregated/pathogenic proteins. Experiments in mice have revealed that one of the functions of CRP is to protect against pneumococcal infection. For protection, CRP must be injected into mice within two hours of administering pneumococci, thus, CRP is protective against early-stage infection but not against late-stage infection. It is unknown how CRP protects …
Mechanisms Of The Anti-Pneumococcal Function Of C-Reactive Protein, Toh B. Gang
Mechanisms Of The Anti-Pneumococcal Function Of C-Reactive Protein, Toh B. Gang
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Human C-reactive protein (CRP) increases survival of and decreases bacteremia in mice infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae. Such protection of mice against pneumococcal infection is seen only when CRP is administered into mice 6 hours before to 2 hours after the injection of pneumococci, but not when CRP is given to mice at a later time. Our first aim was to define the mechanism of CRP-mediated initial protection of mice against infection. It was proposed that CRP binds to phosphocholine (PCh) moieties present in the cell wall and activates the complement system on the pneumococcal surface that kills the pathogen. …