Bordetella pertussis entry into respiratory epithelial cells and intracellular survival

LAMBERTI, YANINA; GORGOJO, JUAN; MASSILLO, CINTIA; RODRIGUEZ, MARÍA EUGENIA

Pathogens and disease

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2013 vol. 69 p. 194 - 204

2049-632X

B. pertussis is the causative agent of pertussis or whooping cough. Although generally considered an extracellular pathogen, it has been was found inside respiratory epithelial cells, which might represent a survival strategy inside the host. However, relatively little is known about the mechanism of internalization and the fate of B. pertussis inside the cells. We here show that B. pertussis is able to enter the respiratory epithelial cells by a mechanism dependent on microtubule assembly, lipid rafts integrity, and activation of tyrosine-kinase signaling. Once inside the cell, a significant proportion of intracellular bacteria evades phagolysosomal fusion and remains viable in non-acidic LAMP1-negative compartments. In addition, intracellular B. pertussis was found able to repopulate the extracellular environment after complete elimination of extracellular bacteria with Polymyxin B. Taken together these data suggest that B. pertussis is able to survive within respiratory epithelial cells potentially contributing to host immune evasion and persistence.