Wheaton College1, Biology, Wheaton, IL 60187 Wheaton2, Biology, Wheaton, IL 60187
Alpha hemolysin (αHL) is a pore forming toxin released by Staphylococcal aureus, a cause of bacterial pneumonia. Exposure to αHL increases cell death in lung epithelial (A549) cells, but interferon (IFN) pre-treatment mitigates this effect. We hypothesize that endocytosis plays a role in cell protection from αHL and that IFN affects αHL vesicle trafficking. We are currently using multiple techniques (e.g., cell morphology and viability measurements, confocal fluorescence microscopy, biochemical labeling assays, atomic force microscopy) to gain insight into the mechanism of IFN protection. Results confirm that (1) the presence of IFN reduces cell death due to αHL, (2) A549 cells endocytose αHL, and (3) IFN enhances removal of αHL from A549 cells.
[Abstract (DOCX)]