Salmonella biofilm protein causes autoimmune responses -- Possible link
with Alzheimer's

Date:
July 9, 2020
Source:
University of Saskatchewan
Summary:
Scientists have demonstrated that a Salmonella biofilm protein
can cause autoimmune responses and arthritis in animals.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Scientists from the Vaccine and Infectious Disease
Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac) at the
University of Saskatchewan (USask) and Temple University (Philadelphia,
U.S.) have demonstrated that a Salmonella biofilm protein can cause
autoimmune responses and arthritis in animals.


========================================================================== Salmonella was previously thought to only form biofilms in the
environment, such as on food processing surfaces. Biofilms are
dense collections of bacteria that stick together on surfaces to
protect the bacteria from harsh conditions, including antibiotics and disinfectants. Detecting biofilms in an animal during an infection was
a surprise.

In research published today in PLOS Pathogens, a VIDO-InterVac team led
by Aaron White discovered that Salmonella biofilms were formed in the intestines of infected mice. For the study, the team used a mouse model
to replicate human food-borne illness and showed that a biofilm protein
called "curli" that grows on the surface of bacteria was connected to
negative health outcomes.

Curli are a special type of protein called amyloids. Similar human
proteins have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases such
as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease). Scientists don't know how these diseases start, but have speculated that something must "trigger" the accumulation of amyloids.

"We are the first to show that a food-borne pathogen can make these
types of proteins in the gut," said White, a leading expert on Salmonella biofilms and curli amyloids.

"There has been speculation that bacteria can stimulate amyloid plaque formation in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS and contribute to disease progression. The discovery of curli in the gut could represent an
important link, pointing to a potentially infectious cause for these
diseases." Collaborator C,agla Tu"kel and her team from Temple University determined that the presence of curli led to autoimmunity and arthritis
-- two conditions that are known complications of Salmonella infections
in humans.

"In mice, these reactions were triggered within six weeks of infection, demonstrating that curli can be a major driver of autoimmune responses,"
said Tu"kel.

The next step in the research is to confirm that this also occurs in
humans, and test if other food-borne pathogens related to Salmonella
can cause similar autoimmune reactions.

"This important discovery suggests that food-borne pathogens could
initiate or worsen autoimmunity and have the potential to contribute
to amyloid disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease,"
said VIDO-InterVac Director Dr.

Volker Gerdts.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Saskatchewan. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Amanda L. Miller, J. Alex Pasternak, Nicole J. Medeiros, Lauren K.

Nicastro, Sarah A. Tursi, Elizabeth G. Hansen, Ryan Krochak,
Akosiererem S. Sokaribo, Keith D. MacKenzie, Melissa B. Palmer,
Dakoda J. Herman, Nikole L. Watson, Yi Zhang, Heather L. Wilson,
R. Paul Wilson, Aaron P.

White, C,agla Tu"kel. In vivo synthesis of bacterial amyloid
curli contributes to joint inflammation during S. Typhimurium
infection. PLOS Pathogens, 2020; 16 (7): e1008591 DOI:
10.1371/journal.ppat.1008591 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200709172837.htm

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