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Plasminogen is a critical host pathogenicity factor for group A streptococcal infection

Sun, HM ; Ringdahl, Ulrika LU ; Homeister, JW ; Fay, WP ; Engleberg, NC ; Yang, AY ; Rozek, LS ; Wang, XX ; Sjöbring, Ulf LU and Ginsburg, D (2004) In Science 305(5688). p.1283-1286
Abstract
Group A streptococci, a common human pathogen, secrete streptokinase, which activates the host's blood clot-dissolving protein, plasminogen. Streptokinase is highly specific for human plasminogen, exhibiting little or no activity against other mammalian species, including mouse. Here, a transgene expressing human plasminogen markedly increased mortality in mice infected with streptococci, and this susceptibility was dependent on bacterial streptokinase expression. Thus, streptokinase is a key pathogenicity factor and the primary determinant of host species specificity for group A streptococcal infection. In addition, local fibrin clot formation may be implicated in host defense against microbial pathogens.
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Science
volume
305
issue
5688
pages
1283 - 1286
publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
external identifiers
  • wos:000223624600039
  • pmid:15333838
  • scopus:4344601240
ISSN
1095-9203
DOI
10.1126/science.1101245
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1a18611a-23d2-4503-8471-27d99fe6967e (old id 270682)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 17:14:07
date last changed
2022-04-23 03:36:22
@article{1a18611a-23d2-4503-8471-27d99fe6967e,
  abstract     = {{Group A streptococci, a common human pathogen, secrete streptokinase, which activates the host's blood clot-dissolving protein, plasminogen. Streptokinase is highly specific for human plasminogen, exhibiting little or no activity against other mammalian species, including mouse. Here, a transgene expressing human plasminogen markedly increased mortality in mice infected with streptococci, and this susceptibility was dependent on bacterial streptokinase expression. Thus, streptokinase is a key pathogenicity factor and the primary determinant of host species specificity for group A streptococcal infection. In addition, local fibrin clot formation may be implicated in host defense against microbial pathogens.}},
  author       = {{Sun, HM and Ringdahl, Ulrika and Homeister, JW and Fay, WP and Engleberg, NC and Yang, AY and Rozek, LS and Wang, XX and Sjöbring, Ulf and Ginsburg, D}},
  issn         = {{1095-9203}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5688}},
  pages        = {{1283--1286}},
  publisher    = {{American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}},
  series       = {{Science}},
  title        = {{Plasminogen is a critical host pathogenicity factor for group A streptococcal infection}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1101245}},
  doi          = {{10.1126/science.1101245}},
  volume       = {{305}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}