Correction: Interpain A, a Cysteine Proteinase from Prevotella intermedia, Inhibits Complement by Degrading Complement Factor C3

Abstract

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease of the supporting structures of the teeth caused by, among other pathogens, Prevotella intermedia. Many strains of P. intermedia are resistant to killing by the human complement system, which is present at up to 70% of serum concentration in gingival crevicular fluid. Incubation of human serum with recombinant cysteine protease of P. intermedia (interpain A) resulted in a drastic decrease in bactericidal activity of the serum. Furthermore, a clinical strain 59 expressing interpain A was more serum-resistant than another clinical strain 57, which did not express interpain A, as determined by Western blotting. Moreover, in the presence of the cysteine protease inhibitor E64, the killing of strain 59 by human serum was enhanced. Importantly, we found that the majority of P. intermedia strains isolated from chronic and aggressive periodontitis carry and express the interpain A gene. The protective effect of interpain A against serum bactericidal activity was found to be attributable to its ability to inhibit all three complement pathways through the efficient degradation of the a-chain of C3-the major complement factor common to all three pathways. P. intermedia has been known to co-aggregate with P. gingivalis, which produce gingipains to efficiently degrade complement factors. Here, interpain A was found to have a synergistic effect with gingipains on complement degradation. In addition, interpain A was able to activate the C1 complex in serum, causing deposition of C1q on inert and bacterial surfaces, which may be important at initial stages of infection when local inflammatory reaction may be beneficial for a pathogen. Taken together, the newly characterized interpain A proteinase appears to be an important virulence factor of P. intermedia.

EspP, a Serine Protease of EnterohemorrhagicEscherichia coli, Impairs Complement Activation by Cleaving Complement Factors C3/C3b and C5

“…Several other bacterial proteases have been shown to cleave C3. Potempa and coworkers reported that interpain A, a cysteine protease of Prevotella intermedia, degrades the ␣-chain of C3 (22). Kuo and coworkers (15) have shown streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B to degrade ␣, ␣Ј (a 41-kDa fragment of the ␣-chain), and the ␤-chain of C3 effectively.…”

Comparative genome analysis of Prevotella intermedia strain isolated from infected root canal reveals features related to pathogenicity and adaptation

“…Aquemethaemoglobin is further completely broken down and hame is released to generate black-colored Fe(III) protoporphyrin IX pigment [ 40 , 41 ]. Interpain A also disturbs immune reaction of the host by degrading complement factor C3 [ 42 ]. The counterpart gene is identified in other Prevotella intermedia strains and its homologous proteins are found in Prevotella nigrescens and Prevotella pallens .…”

Effects of Essential Oils-Based Supplement and Salmonella Infection on Gene Expression, Blood Parameters, Cecal Microbiome, and Egg Production in Laying Hens

“…Many bacteria of the Bacteroidales order [142] have a SpeB homolog, a peptidase capable of cleaving many immunologically relevant proteins. In particular, the periodontal pathogen Prevotella intermedia has a homolog interpain A that takes part in the inhibition of the immune response through complement degradation [144].…”