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Fig. 7 | BMC Microbiology

Fig. 7

From: Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae exploits the interaction between protein-E and vitronectin for the adherence and invasion to bronchial epithelial cells

Fig. 7

A schema of the proposed mechanism by which NTHi penetrates into bronchial epithelial cell via protein-E and vitronectin. Vitronectin has three heparin-binding domains (HBDs), which interact with NTHi. Of those HBDs, the C-terminal HBD-3 corresponds to a protein-E binding region and interacts with PE84–108. This interaction is blocked by heparin or PE84–108 peptide. Vitronectin also possesses a cell receptor binding site characterized by an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence, which interacts with integrins on the bronchial epithelial cell surface. This protein-E-vitronectin axis seems to play a role in the adherence and penetration of NTHi into bronchial epithelial cells

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BMC Microbiology

ISSN: 1471-2180

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