Gonococcal lipooligosaccharide is a ligand for the asialoglycoprotein receptor on human sperm

Abstract

SummaryIn the present study, we show that Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipooligosaccharide (LOS) can bind to the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R) on human sperm. This work demonstrates the presence of ASGP-R on human sperm. Binding of purified ASGP-R ligand decreased in the presence of gonococci. Binding of purified iodinated gonococcal LOS identified a protein of molecular weight corresponding to that of human ASGP-R. The presence of excess unlabelled LOS blocked binding of iodinated gonococcal LOS. Binding of wild-type gonococcal LOS to sperm was higher than that of mutant LOS lacking the galactose ligand for ASGP-R. These data suggest that the ASGP-R on human sperm cells recognizes and binds wild-type gonococcal LOS. This interaction may contribute to the transmission of gonorrhea from infected males to their sexual partners.

Role of N-Acetylglucosamine within Core Lipopolysaccharide of Several Species of Gram-Negative Bacteria in Targeting the DC-SIGN (CD209)

“…Several of these phenotypes mimic human cell surface structures such as gangliosides (23,55,56). Furthermore, GC LOS interacts with complement receptor 3 (CR3) from female human cervical epithelia (57,58), and the asialoglycoprotein receptor on human sperm (59). In vivo, gonococcal LOS can switch from one phenotype to another in a human challenge model (23), suggesting that different LOS phenotypes could interact with various receptors to adapt to specific host environments.…”

Evaluación in vitro del efecto de Neisseria gonorrhoeae y los factores solubles producto de su metabolismo sobre la calidad espermática

“…8,9 (7,(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)3) De otro lado, en los espermatozoides incubados con los factores solubles producto del metabolismo bacteriano de N. gonorrhoeae, se observa un aumento del 26% en el porcentaje de espermatozoides con potencial de membrana mitocondrial bajo, un incremento del 53% del índice de fragmentación del ADN y una disminución del 12,4% de células con integridad de membrana y del 39% de las célu-las con respecto a la muestra control.…”

“…Desde hace más de 30 años se viene investigando los mecanismos de unión entre los espermatozoides con esta bacteria y su capacidad de transporte desde el tracto genital masculino hasta el femenino (7,8) y esa misma interacción puede estar relacionada con afectar la fertilidad masculina, por el daño en la calidad seminal. N. gonorrhoeae se une a las células de su único hospedero, el humano, a través del contacto directo con las mucosas empleando la molécula CD46 (7,9) y estructuras de superficie como el pili (3,10).…”

Genetic diversity of three lgt loci for biosynthesis of lipooligosaccharide (LOS) in Neisseria species The GenBank accession numbers for the sequences reported in this paper are AF470655–AF470685.

“…In N. gonorrhoeae, the lgt-1 locus has been sequenced in three strains (F62, FA1090 and 1291) and analysed in an additional four strains (15253, MS11, M94 and R10), by DNA hybridization (Erwin et al, 1996 ;Gotschlich, 1994 ;Harvey et al, 2000). The composition and organization of lgt-1 for N. gonorrhoeae is the same for all sequenced strains ; only the hybridization data from strain 15253 suggests that there may be some heterogeneity (Erwin et al, 1996).…”

“…meningitidis (strains Z2491, MC58, 126E, A1 and M978) (Jennings et al, 1995(Jennings et al, , 1999Parkhill et al, 2000 ;Zhu et al, 2001), seven strains of N. gonorrhoeae (FA1090, F62, 15253, 1291, MS11, M94 and R10) (Erwin et al, 1996 ;Gotschlich 1994 ;Harvey et al, 2000) and one strain of N. subflava (44) (Arking et al, 2001). Based on the genetic organization, the lgt-1 locus in these strains was classified into eight genetic types (Types (Gotschlich, 1994 ;Jennings et al, 1995).…”