Studies of molecular mechanisms of importance for commensal bacteria to cause infection
Principal investigator; Frick, Inga-Maria, Associate Professor, PhD
Clinical speciality:
Phone: ++46462228569
Co-workers, Lund University: Björck Lars, Egesten Arne, Mörgelin Matthias, Murphy Elizabeth
Research area/areas: Cell and Molecular Biology, Immunology in the medical area, Infectious Medicine, Medical Biotechnology (focus on Cell Biology (incl. Stem Cell Biology), Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or Biopharmacy), Microbiology in the medical area
Commensal bacteria colonize the human host without normally causing disease, but under certain conditions they become pathogenic. The anaerobic bacterium Finegoldia magna and group C/G streptococci (GCS/GGS) are such commensals also connected with infections of clinical importance.
By utilizing experimental techniques within the field of molecular biology, protein chemistry, immunology and microbiology, proteins of F. magna and GCS/GGS are isolated. Interactions between isolated bacterial proteins/bacteria with human plasma proteins or components of extracellular matrix regarding primary adhesion, colonization and survival in the human host of these bacteria are studied. Bacterial interference with chemokine secretion from keratinocytes, and interactions with complement components and antibacterial peptides are also investigated. We have recently discovered a role for the contact system in innate immunity and the significance of this system for protection against commensals and pathogens is further analyzed.
Through studies on bacterial adhesion, proteolysis and bacterial interference with innate immunity, knowledge about mechanisms contributing to pathogenicity and virulence will be provided.
5 recent original publications
Frick Inga-Maria, Nordin Sara L, Baumgarten Maria, Mörgelin Matthias, Sørensen Ole E, Olin Anders, Egesten Arne
Constitutive and Inflammation-Dependent Antimicrobial Peptides Produced by Epithelium Are Differentially Processed and Inactivated by the Commensal Finegoldia magna and the Pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes.
Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 2011; 187: 4300-4309
Murphy Elizabeth, Mörgelin Matthias, Cooney Jakki C., Frick Inga-Maria
Interaction of Bacteroides fragilis and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron with the kallikrein-kinin system
Microbiology. 2011; 157: 2094 - 2105
Frick Inga-Maria, Shannon Oonagh, Åkesson Per, Mögelin Matthias, Collin Mattias, Schmidtchen Artur, Björck Lars
Antibacterial activity of the contact and complement systems is blocked by SIC, a protein secreted by Streptococcus pyogenes.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2011; 286: 1331-1340
Frick Inga-Maria, Shannon Oonagh, Åkesson Per, Mögelin Matthias, Collin Mattias, Schmidtchen Artur, Björck Lars
Antibacterial activity of the contact and complement systems is blocked by SIC, a protein secreted by Streptococcus pyogenes.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2011; 286: 1331-1340
Frick IM, Åkesson P, Herwald H, Mörgelin M, Malmsten M, Nägler DK and Björck L.
The contact system - a novel branch of innate immunity generating antibacterial peptides
EMBO J. 2006; 25: 5569-5578
Further publications here (new window)