Journal Article

α-Hemolysin promotes uropathogenic E. coli persistence in bladder epithelial cells via abrogating bacteria-harboring lysosome acidification

Kim, Min Jung, Suk, Gyeongseo, Naskar, Manisha, Kim, Chungho, Alibasic, Zehra, Yoon, Hana, Parekh, Viraj P., Lee, Joonha, Noh, Joo Hwan, Abraham, Soman N., Ko, Kwan Young, Choi, Hae Woong, Abraham, Mathew A.

2023

Overview

There is a growing consensus that a significant proportion of recurrent urinary tract infections are linked to the persistence of uropathogens within the urinary tract and their re-emergence upon the conclusion of antibiotic treatment. Studies in mice and human have revealed that uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) can persist in bladder epithelial cells (BECs) even after the apparent resolution of the infection. Here, we found that, following the entry of UPEC into RAB27b + fusiform vesicles in BECs, some bacteria escaped into the cytoplasmic compartment via a mechanism involving hemolysin A (HlyA). However, these UPEC were immediately recaptured within LC3A/B + autophagosomes that matured into LAMP1 + autolysosomes. Thereafter, HlyA + UPEC-containing lysosomes failed to acidify, which is an essential step for bacterial elimination. This lack of acidification was related to the inability of bacteria-harboring compartments to recruit V-ATPase proton pumps, which was attributed to the defragmentation of cytosolic microtubules by HlyA. The persistence of UPEC within LAMP1 + compartments in BECs appears to be directly linked to HlyA. Thus, through intravesicular instillation of microtubule stabilizer, this host defense response can be co-opted to reduce intracellular bacterial burden following UTIs in the bladder potentially preventing recurrence.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Acidification / Animals / Antibiotics / Bacteria / Bacterial infections / Biology and Life Sciences / Bladder / Compartments / E coli / Epithelial cells / Epithelial Cells - microbiology / Epithelium / Escherichia coli Infections - microbiology / Flow cytometry / H+-transporting ATPase / Hemolysin Proteins / Humans / Hydrogen-Ion Concentration / Localization / Lysosomes / Lysosomes - pathology / Medicine and Health Sciences / Mice / Microscopy / Microtubules / Neutrophils / Phagosomes / Physical Sciences / Research and Analysis Methods / Urinary Bladder - microbiology / Urinary tract / Urinary tract infections / Urinary Tract Infections - microbiology / Urogenital system / Uropathogenic Escherichia coli - physiology