Multivalent Choline Dendrimers Increase Phagocytosis of Streptococcus pneumoniae R6 by Microglial Cells
Background: Pneumococcal virulence factors common to all serotypes, such as choline-binding proteins (CBPs), are promising therapeutic targets in pneumococcal infections. We studied the effect of a choline dendrimer with maximized binding affinity/specificity for CBPs on microglia-mediated pneumococ...
| Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | article |
| Publication Date: | 2013 |
| Country: | España |
| Institution: | Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche |
| Repository: | REDIUMH. Depósito Digital de la UMH |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:dspace.umh.es:11000/30957 |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/11000/30957 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | Choline-binding proteins Streptococcus pneumoniae Dendrimer Phagocytosis Microglia |
| Summary: | Background: Pneumococcal virulence factors common to all serotypes, such as choline-binding proteins (CBPs), are promising therapeutic targets in pneumococcal infections. We studied the effect of a choline dendrimer with maximized binding affinity/specificity for CBPs on microglia-mediated pneumococcal phagocytosis. Methods: Pneumoccocal cultures were exposed to dendrimers containing 8 choline end groups or amino groups as controls, either from the beginning of bacterial growth or at the late exponential phase. The effect of long/short co-incubation was assessed in terms of bacterial morphological changes and increase in bacterial uptake by primary microglial cultures. Results: Inhibiting CBPs by micromolar concentrations of a choline dendrimer caused the formation of long pneumococcal chains that were readily phagocytosed by microglia. Enhanced phagocytosis was dendrimer dose-dependent. Long bacteria-dendrimer co-incubation (14 h) resulted in a higher bacterial uptake than short co-incubation (2 h; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Multivalent dendrimers containing choline end groups are promising antimicrobial agents for the management of pneumococcal diseases. |
|---|