Flotillin-1 (Reggie-2) contributes to Chlamydia pneumoniae growth and is associated with bacterial inclusion

Infect Immun. 2012 Mar;80(3):1072-8. doi: 10.1128/IAI.05528-11. Epub 2012 Jan 3.

Abstract

Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular pathogens replicating only inside the eukaryotic host. Here, we studied the effect of human flotillin-1 protein on Chlamydia pneumoniae growth in human line (HL) and A549 epithelial cell lines. RNA interference was applied to disrupt flotillin-1-mediated endocytosis. Host-associated bacteria were detected by quantitative PCR, and C. pneumoniae growth was evaluated by inclusion counts. C. pneumoniae attachment to host cells was unaffected, but bacterial intracellular growth was attenuated in the flotillin-1-silenced cells. By using confocal microscopy, we detected flotillin-1 colocalized with the inclusion membrane protein A (IncA) in the C. pneumoniae inclusion membranes. In addition, flotillin-1 was associated with IncA in detergent-resistant membrane microdomains (DRMs) in biochemical fractioning. These results suggest that flotillin-1 localizes to the C. pneumoniae inclusion membrane and plays an important role for intracellular growth of C. pneumoniae.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Load
  • Bacterial Proteins / analysis
  • Cell Line
  • Chlamydophila pneumoniae / growth & development
  • Chlamydophila pneumoniae / pathogenicity*
  • Endocytosis
  • Epithelial Cells / microbiology
  • Gene Silencing
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions*
  • Humans
  • Inclusion Bodies / microbiology*
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Phosphoproteins / analysis
  • RNA Interference

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • IncA protein, bacteria
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • flotillins