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Full-Text Articles in Immunology of Infectious Disease
Activation Of The Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Akt Pathway Contributes To Survival Of Primary Epithelial Cells Infected With The Periodontal Pathogen Porphyromonas Gingivalis, Özlem Yilmaz, Thomas Jungas, Philippe Verbeke, David M. Ojcius
Activation Of The Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Akt Pathway Contributes To Survival Of Primary Epithelial Cells Infected With The Periodontal Pathogen Porphyromonas Gingivalis, Özlem Yilmaz, Thomas Jungas, Philippe Verbeke, David M. Ojcius
All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles
Porphyromonas gingivalis, an important periodontal pathogen, infects primary gingival epithelial cells (GECs). Despite the large number of bacteria that replicate inside the GECs, the host cell remains viable. We demonstrate that P. gingivalis triggers rapid and reversible surface phosphatidylserine exposure through a mechanism requiring caspase activation. However, after 1 day of infection, the bacteria no longer induce phosphatidylserine externalization and instead protect infected cells against apoptosis. Infection exerts its effect at the level of mitochondria, as P. gingivalis also blocks depolarization of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential and cytochrome c release. Interestingly, protein kinase B/Akt is phosphorylated during infection, which can …
The Prevalence Of The Q-Fever Agent Coxiella Burnetii In Ticks Collected From An Animal Shelter In Southeast Georgia, John H. Smoyer Iii
The Prevalence Of The Q-Fever Agent Coxiella Burnetii In Ticks Collected From An Animal Shelter In Southeast Georgia, John H. Smoyer Iii
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Author's abstract: Q-fever is a zoonosis caused by a worldwide-distributed bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Ticks are vectors of the Q-fever agent but play a secondary role in transmission because the agent is also transmitted via aerosols. Most Q-fever studies have focused on farm animals but not ticks collected from dogs in animal shelters. In order to detect the Q-fever agent in these ticks, a nested PCR technique targeting the 16S rDNA of Coxiella burnetii was used. A collection of 450 ticks from the animal shelter were screened via nested PCR and 144 (32%) were positives. The positive PCR products were also …