Streptococcus agalactiae induced gene expression in human coronar artery endothelial cells

Early onset sepsis due to Group B streptococcus (GBS) leads to neonatal morbidity, increased mortality and long term neurological deficencies. Interaction between septicemic GBS and confluent monlayers of human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) was analyzed by a genome wide expression profiling. Regulation of selected genes and proteins identified in the gene array analysis was confirmed by Real Time RT-PCR assay (Granulocyte chemotactic protein 2 (CXCL6)), ELISA (Urokinase, Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), Granulocyte chemotactic protein 1 (IL8)) and Western Blotting (Heme oxygenase1, BCL2 interacting protein (BIM)) at various time points between 4 and 24 hours. In total, 124 genes were differentially regulated (89 upregulated, 35 downregulated) based on a more than 3-fold difference to unstimulated HCAEC. Regulated genes are involved in apoptosis, hemostasis, oxidative stress response, infection and inflammation. We confirmed upregulation of urokinase (UPA), COX2, HMOX1 and BCL2 interacting protein and downregulation of CXCL6 and IL8. These results indicate that GBS infection might lead to impaired function of the innate immune system and might contribute to hemorrhagic and inflammatory complications during GBS sepsis.

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Beyrich C, Löffler J, Kobsar A, Speer CP, Kneitz S, Eigenthaler M