The collagen-binding protein of Streptococcus mutans is involved in haemorrhagic stroke

Citations Over TimeTop 10% of 2011 papers

Abstract

Although several risk factors for stroke have been identified, one-third remain unexplained. Here we show that infection with Streptococcus mutans expressing collagen-binding protein (CBP) is a potential risk factor for haemorrhagic stroke. Infection with serotype k S. mutans, but not a standard strain, aggravates cerebral haemorrhage in mice. Serotype k S. mutans accumulates in the damaged, but not the contralateral hemisphere, indicating an interaction of bacteria with injured blood vessels. The most important factor for high-virulence is expression of CBP, which is a common property of most serotype k strains. The detection frequency of CBP-expressing S. mutans in haemorrhagic stroke patients is significantly higher than in control subjects. Strains isolated from haemorrhagic stroke patients aggravate haemorrhage in a mouse model, indicating that they are haemorrhagic stroke-associated. Administration of recombinant CBP causes aggravation of haemorrhage. Our data suggest that CBP of S. mutans is directly involved in haemorrhagic stroke.

Related Papers

• → Virulence factors and their mechanisms of action: the view from a damage–response framework(2009)181 cited
• → Comparison of the Glaesserella parasuis Virulence in Mice and Piglets(2021)26 cited
• → Genetic Determination of Bacterial Virulence, with Special Reference to Salmonella(1986)44 cited
• → Disease-specific Helicobacter pylori virulence factors: the role of cagA, vacA, iceA, babA2 alone or in combination(2000)4 cited
• → Manipulating virulence factor availability can have complex consequences for infections(2016)1 cited