The Yersinia outer surface protein invasin binds to β1 integrins on target cells and has been shown to trigger phagocytic uptake by macrophages. Here, we investigated the role of the actin regulator Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein (WASp), its effector the Arp2/3 complex and the Rho‐GTPases CDC42Hs, Rac and Rho in invasin/β1 integrin‐triggered phagocytosis. During uptake of invasin‐coated latex beads, the α5β1 integrin, WASp and the Arp2/3 complex were recruited to the developing actin‐rich phagocytic cups in primary human macrophages. Blockage of β1 integrins by specific antibodies, inhibition of Arp2/3 function by microinjection of inhibitors or the use of WASp knockout macrophages inhibited phagocytic cup formation and uptake. Furthermore, microinjection of the dominant negative GTPase mutants N17CDC42Hs, N17Rac or the Rho‐specific inhibitor C3‐transferase into macrophages greatly attenuated invasin‐induced formation of cups. These data suggest that during invasin‐triggered phagocytosis β1 integrins activate actin polymerization via CDC42Hs, its effector WASp and the Arp2/3 complex. The contribution of Rac and Rho to phagocytic cup formation also suggests a complex interplay between different Rho GTPases during phagocytosis of pathogens.

In response to bacterial infection epithelial cells up-regulate expression and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Previous work from our laboratory showed that basolateral infection of polarized T84 cells with Yersinia enterocolitica induces interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion in the absence of significant invasion. Here we studied Y. enterocolitica-induced IL-8 secretion by epithelial HeLa cells as a function of Yersinia invasion or adhesion. For this purpose we tried to separated induction of IL-8 secretion from invasion by treating HeLa cells with signal transduction inhibitors prior to infection. While staurosporin and genistein inhibited both Yersinia invasion and Yersinia-triggered IL-8 secretion, wortmannin, an inhibitor of the phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate kinase (PI3-K), blocked invasion of Y. enterocolitica into HeLa cells but did not show any effect on IL-8 secretion. These results suggest that Yersinia adhesion might be sufficient to induce IL-8 secretion by epithelial cells. Further analysis demonstrated the requirement of the Yersinia invasion locus inv for adhesion-mediated induction of IL-8 secretion. Thus, HeLa cells infected with an E. coli strain expressing the Y. enterocolitica inv locus induced IL-8 secretion in the presence and absence of wortmannin. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that adhesion of inv-expressing Y. enterocolitica or E. coli results in the transcriptional activation of the IL-8 gene. These results suggest that Y. enterocolitica adhesion to host cells via Inv activates de novo synthesis and secretion of IL-8.

With intensified antibiotic therapy and longer survival, patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are colonized with a more complex pattern of bacteria and fungi. However, the clinical relevance of these emerging pathogens for lung function remains poorly defined. The aim of this study was to assess the association of bacterial and fungal colonization patterns with lung function in adolescent patients with CF. Microbial colonization patterns and lung function parameters were assessed in 770 adolescent European (German/Austrian) CF patients in a retrospective study (median follow-up time: 10years). Colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and MRSA were most strongly associated with loss of lung function, while mainly colonization with Haemophilus influenzae was associated with preserved lung function. Aspergillus fumigatus was the only species that was associated with an increased risk for infection with P. aeruginosa. Microbial interaction analysis revealed three distinct microbial clusters within the longitudinal course of CF lung disease. Collectively, this study identified potentially protective and harmful microbial colonization patterns in adolescent CF patients. Further studies in different patient cohorts are required to evaluate these microbial patterns and to assess their clinical relevance.