Abstract:
Burkholderia pseudomallei, a saprophytic gram-negative bacterium, is the
etiological agent of melioidosis endemic in Australia and Southeast Asia. Internalized
B. pseudomallei can generate actin-based motility and induce multinucleated giant cell
(MNGC) formation. To assess the role of BipB, a type III translocation apparatus, in
the pathogenesis of B. pseudomallei infection, the B. pseudomallei bipB mutant
(BS46) was constructed by insertion inactivation. Cell infected with B. pseudomallei
BS46 showed significantly reduced MNGC formation, cell-to-cell spread, invasion
into non-phagocytic cell, and induction of apoptosis of macrophage (P < 0.05, t test).
Furthermore, the BS46 was attenuated in the murine model of infection. By confocal
microscopy, at 6 hrs postinfection, B. pseudomallei BS46 mutant resided within the
endocytic vesicle and failed to induce MNGC formation. The BS46 mutant confined
to the entry vesicle was incapable of forming actin tails. However, after 10 hrs
postinfection, bacteria were able to escape from the endocytic vesicle and the MNGC
phenotype could be observed. When cytochalasin D or nocodazole was added to
disrupt actin and microtubule polymerization, respectively, B. pseudomallei induced
macrophage fusion was abolished. These data suggested that escape from endocytic
vesicle, actin tail formations, and a host cell microtubular system are required for
B. pseudomallei induced MNGC formation. In addition, BsaQ, sigma factor E, and
anti-sigma factor E were also responsible for induction of MNGC formation in
infected host cells.