Publications by authors named "T Sumitomo"
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how the pathogen responsible for bacterial meningitis, specifically a clinical strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae, can access brain tissue without causing bacteremia or pneumonia.
- Researchers used mice to test this by intranasally inoculating them and found the bacteria in regions of the brain without causing systemic infection.
- Key findings highlight that the pneumolysin gene (PLY) is crucial for this process, as its knockout prevented bacterial spread to the brain, indicating that PLY disrupts nasal epithelial barriers to facilitate infection.
Article Synopsis
- Streptococcus pneumoniae causes serious respiratory diseases, and the two-component regulatory system (TCS) plays a key role in how it adapts and colonizes in different environments in the body.* -
- Researchers created a mutant strain (Δhk08) to study the impact of TCS08 on colonization and pneumonia development in mice, showing that disruptions in this system increase bacterial presence and reduce survival.* -
- The study found that TCS08 is vital for pneumococcal adaptation in the respiratory tract, influencing factors like capsule production and inflammation, which contribute to the severity of pneumonia.*
Respiratory tract barrier dysfunction in viral-bacterial co-infection cases.
Jpn Dent Sci Rev
December 2024
Article Synopsis
- A prior respiratory viral infection can make a person more vulnerable to secondary bacterial pneumonia, a significant health concern that leads to serious illness and death.
- The mechanisms behind the viral-bacterial interactions that exacerbate these infections are not yet fully understood, making it difficult to create effective treatments.
- The review emphasizes the importance of the respiratory barrier's function, suggesting that a better understanding of its response to both viral and bacterial infections could help develop new preventative therapies.
Article Synopsis
- Streptococcus pyogenes with type 3 genomic regions possess pili made from three types of pilins, with FctB from a serotype M3 strain being structurally analyzed at high resolution.
- The FctB3 structure includes an immunoglobulin-like domain and a proline-rich tail, showing key differences from a previously studied variant, particularly in the Ω loop and tail direction, while maintaining the lysine required for pilus linkage.
- The study reveals that FctB3 is stabilized by large hydrophobic interactions instead of isopeptide bonds, and that its interactions with partner proteins (Cpa or FctA) are guided by the chaperone SipA, shedding light on the complex dynamics between
Autophagy serves an innate immune function in defending the host against invading bacteria, including group A (GAS). Autophagy is regulated by numerous host proteins, including the endogenous negative regulator calpain, a cytosolic protease. Globally disseminated serotype M1T1 GAS strains associated with high invasive disease potential express numerous virulence factors and resist autophagic clearance.
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