Cytoskeletal rearrangements in human umbilical vein endothelial cells in response to Staphylococcus aureus

• Main Author: Rushing, Frances L.
• Other Authors: McDowell, Susan A.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Actin.; Cytoskeleton > Physiology.; Phosphotransferases > Physiological effect.; Staphylococcus aureus infections > Physiological effect.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/188215; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1339459

Staphylococcus aureus are Gram-positive bacteria that adhere to the extracellular matrix of susceptible host cells to initiate infection and induce a signal transduction pathway that includes PI3K causing the disruption of cytoskeletal elements within the cytosol. Confocal microscopy was applied to visualize actin within human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) to discern behavior during infection. HUVEC lysates were analyzed through immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis to determine the isoforms of PI3K present in HUVECs. Infection experiments and confocal microscopy reveal a time dependent disruption of actin and a dose dependent decrease in infection when HUVECs are treated with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Results of Western blot analysis reveal a distinct band corresponding to the pl l0a isoform of PI3K in HUVECs. These studies taken together suggest that PI3K is involved in the signal transduction pathway induced by the infection of HUVECs by S. aureus, and that infection causes the disruption of cytoskeletal actin fibers. === Department of Biology