Role of the cell wall phenolic glycolipid-1 in the peripheral nerve predilection of Mycobacterium leprae

V Ng, G Zanazzi, R Timpl, J F Talts, J L Salzer, P J Brennan, A Rambukkana

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

The cell wall of pathogenic mycobacteria is abundant with complex glycolipids whose roles in disease pathogenesis are mostly unknown. Here, we provide evidence for the involvement of the specific trisaccharide unit of the phenolic glycolipid-1 (PGL-1) of Mycobacterium leprae in determining the bacterial predilection to the peripheral nerve. PGL-1 binds specifically to the native laminin-2 in the basal lamina of Schwann cell-axon units. This binding is mediated by the alpha(2LG1, alpha2LG4, and alpha2LG5 modules present in the naturally cleaved fragments of the peripheral nerve laminin alpha2 chain, and is inhibited by the synthetic terminal trisaccharide of PGL-1. PGL-1 is involved in the M. leprae invasion of Schwann cells through the basal lamina in a laminin-2-dependent pathway. The results indicate a novel role of a bacterial glycolipid in determining the nerve predilection of a human pathogen.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)511-24
Number of pages14
JournalCell
Volume103
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Oct 2000

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Axons/drug effects
  • Basement Membrane/drug effects
  • Binding Sites
  • Cell Wall/chemistry
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins/metabolism
  • Glycolipids/chemistry
  • Humans
  • Laminin/chemistry
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Microspheres
  • Mycobacterium leprae/cytology
  • Nerve Fibers/drug effects
  • Peptide Fragments/chemistry
  • Protein Binding/drug effects
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Rats
  • Schwann Cells/cytology
  • Sciatic Nerve/cytology
  • Trisaccharides/metabolism
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Role of the cell wall phenolic glycolipid-1 in the peripheral nerve predilection of Mycobacterium leprae'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this