Flavin Reductase Contributes to Pneumococcal Virulence by Protecting from Oxidative Stress and Mediating Adhesion and Elicits Protection Against Pneumococcal Challenge.

Pneumococcal flavin reductase (FlaR) is known to be cell-wall associated and possess age dependent antigenicity in children. This study aimed at characterizing FlaR and elucidating its involvement in pneumococcal physiology and virulence. Bioinformatic analysis of FlaR sequence identified three-conserved cysteine residues, suggesting a transition metal-binding capacity.

Streptococcus pneumoniae Cell-Wall-Localized Phosphoenolpyruvate Protein Phosphotransferase Can Function as an Adhesin: Identification of Its Host Target Molecules and Evaluation of Its Potential as a Vaccine.

In Streptococcus pneumonia, phosphoenolpyruvate protein phosphotransferase (PtsA) is an intracellular protein of the monosaccharide phosphotransferase systems. Biochemical and immunostaining methods were applied to show that PtsA also localizes to the bacterial cell-wall. Thus, it was suspected that PtsA has functions other than its main cytoplasmic enzymatic role.

Streptococcus pneumoniae fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase, a protein vaccine candidate, elicits Th1/Th2/Th17-type cytokine responses in mice.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) is a major pathogen worldwide. The currently available polysaccharide-based vaccines significantly reduce morbidity and mortality.

NADH oxidase functions as an adhesin in Streptococcus pneumoniae and elicits a protective immune response in mice.

The initial event in disease caused by S. pneumoniae is adhesion of the bacterium to respiratory epithelial cells, mediated by surface expressed molecules including cell-wall proteins. NADH oxidase (NOX), which reduces free oxygen to water in the cytoplasm, was identified in a non-lectin enriched pneumococcal cell-wall fraction.

The natural cytotoxicity receptor 1 contribution to early clearance of Streptococcus pneumoniae and to natural killer-macrophage cross talk.

Natural killer (NK) cells serve as a crucial first line of defense against tumors, viral and bacterial infections. We studied the involvement of a principal activating natural killer cell receptor, natural cytotoxicity receptor 1 (NCR1), in the innate immune response to S. pneumoniae infection.

Contribution of IL-1 to resistance to Streptococcus pneumoniae infection.

The role of IL-1 in susceptibility to Streptococcus pneumoniae infection was studied in mice deficient in genes of the IL-1 family [i.e. IL-1alpha-/-, IL-1beta-/-, IL-1alpha/beta-/- and IL-1R antagonist (IL-1Ra)-/- mice] following intra-nasal inoculation.

Flamingo cadherin: a putative host receptor for Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Streptococcus pneumoniae fructose bisphosphate aldolase (FBA) is a cell wall-localized lectin. We demonstrate that recombinant (r) FBA and anti-rFBA antibodies inhibit encapsulated and unencapsulated S. pneumoniae serotype 3 adherence to A549 type II lung carcinoma epithelial cells.