The expanding roles of caveolin proteins in microbial pathogenesis

Abstract

Caveolin proteins have been implicated in a wide range of cellular functions including lipid raft mediated endocytosis and regulation of cell signaling cascades. Recent discoveries have shown that these proteins are involved not only in regulating these homeostatic cellular functions, but also in the host response to a wide range of different infections. Both caveolin-1 and 2 have been shown to play important roles in pathogen uptake. While caveolin-1 is the most well studied member of this family, a growing body of evidence has now recognized the role of caveolin-2 in these host pathogen interactions and novel host defense mechanisms.

Endocytosis of Streptococcus pneumoniae via the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor of epithelial cells relies on clathrin and caveolin dependent mechanisms

“…Membrane microdomains are essential for these endocytic processes. To disrupt these host cell domains prior to the infection with pneumococci, Calu-3 and MDCK-hpIgR cells were pretreated with increasing concentrations of methyl-␤-cyclodextrin (M␤CD), an oligosaccharide removing cholesterol from plasma membranes (Zaas et al, 2009), or nystatin, a sterol binding drug which disrupts lipid microdomains and impairs specifically caveolae-mediated endocytosis (Zaas et al, 2009). The presence of cholesterol chelators M␤CD or nystatin during 1 h of pneumococcal infection of host cells declined significantly the number of internalized pneumococci ( Fig.…”

Caveolin-1 Protects B6129 Mice against Helicobacter pylori Gastritis

“…Lipid rafts are cholesterol and sphingolipid-rich microdomains of the plasma membrane [8], [9] which are exploited by many pathogens, including viruses, parasites and bacteria, to facilitate uptake of whole organisms and/or internalisation of toxins into host cells [10], [11], [12]. For example, Neisseria spec .…”

Recent Developments in the Interactions Between Caveolin and Pathogens

“…However, early studies suggested that caveolae may be an important alternative pathway for endocytosis of bacteria. 1,2,4,5 Chemical agents have been used to study the function of caveolae including nystatin, filipin and methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD). These agents disrupt the cholesterol enriched lipid rafts.…”