The Receptors that Mediate the Direct Lethality of Anthrax Toxin

Tumor endothelium marker-8 (TEM8) and capillary morphogenesis protein-2 (CMG2) are the two well-characterized anthrax toxin receptors, each containing a von Willebrand factor A (vWA) domain responsible for anthrax protective antigen (PA) binding. Recently, a cell-based analysis was used to implicate...

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Main Authors: Stephen H. Leppla, Benjamin Hoover, Yi Zhang, Shihui Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2012-12-01
Series:Toxins
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/5/1/1
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author Stephen H. Leppla
Benjamin Hoover
Yi Zhang
Shihui Liu
author_facet Stephen H. Leppla
Benjamin Hoover
Yi Zhang
Shihui Liu
author_sort Stephen H. Leppla
collection DOAJ
description Tumor endothelium marker-8 (TEM8) and capillary morphogenesis protein-2 (CMG2) are the two well-characterized anthrax toxin receptors, each containing a von Willebrand factor A (vWA) domain responsible for anthrax protective antigen (PA) binding. Recently, a cell-based analysis was used to implicate another vWA domain-containing protein, integrin β1 as a third anthrax toxin receptor. To explore whether proteins other than TEM8 and CMG2 function as anthrax toxin receptors in vivo, we challenged mice lacking TEM8 and/or CMG2. Specifically, we used as an effector protein the fusion protein FP59, a fusion between the PA-binding domain of anthrax lethal factor (LF) and the catalytic domain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A. FP59 is at least 50-fold more potent than LF in the presence of PA, with 2 μg PA + 2 μg FP59 being sufficient to kill a mouse. While TEM8−/− and wild type control mice succumbed to a 5 μg PA + 5 μg FP59 challenge, CMG2−/− mice were completely resistant to this dose, confirming that CMG2 is the major anthrax toxin receptor in vivo. To detect whether any toxic effects are mediated by TEM8 or other putative receptors such as integrin β1, CMG2−/−/TEM8−/− mice were challenged with as many as five doses of 50 μg PA + 50 μg FP59. Strikingly, the CMG2−/−/TEM8−/− mice were completely resistant to the 5-dose challenge. These results strongly suggest that TEM8 is the only minor anthrax toxin receptor mediating direct lethality in vivo and that other proteins implicated as receptors do not play this role.
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spelling doaj.art-80fb75c1e88948c79923a7af6832f4cd2022-12-22T04:24:38ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512012-12-01511810.3390/toxins5010001The Receptors that Mediate the Direct Lethality of Anthrax ToxinStephen H. LepplaBenjamin HooverYi ZhangShihui LiuTumor endothelium marker-8 (TEM8) and capillary morphogenesis protein-2 (CMG2) are the two well-characterized anthrax toxin receptors, each containing a von Willebrand factor A (vWA) domain responsible for anthrax protective antigen (PA) binding. Recently, a cell-based analysis was used to implicate another vWA domain-containing protein, integrin β1 as a third anthrax toxin receptor. To explore whether proteins other than TEM8 and CMG2 function as anthrax toxin receptors in vivo, we challenged mice lacking TEM8 and/or CMG2. Specifically, we used as an effector protein the fusion protein FP59, a fusion between the PA-binding domain of anthrax lethal factor (LF) and the catalytic domain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A. FP59 is at least 50-fold more potent than LF in the presence of PA, with 2 μg PA + 2 μg FP59 being sufficient to kill a mouse. While TEM8−/− and wild type control mice succumbed to a 5 μg PA + 5 μg FP59 challenge, CMG2−/− mice were completely resistant to this dose, confirming that CMG2 is the major anthrax toxin receptor in vivo. To detect whether any toxic effects are mediated by TEM8 or other putative receptors such as integrin β1, CMG2−/−/TEM8−/− mice were challenged with as many as five doses of 50 μg PA + 50 μg FP59. Strikingly, the CMG2−/−/TEM8−/− mice were completely resistant to the 5-dose challenge. These results strongly suggest that TEM8 is the only minor anthrax toxin receptor mediating direct lethality in vivo and that other proteins implicated as receptors do not play this role.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/5/1/1anthraxCMG2FP59integrin β1Tem8
spellingShingle Stephen H. Leppla
Benjamin Hoover
Yi Zhang
Shihui Liu
The Receptors that Mediate the Direct Lethality of Anthrax Toxin
Toxins
anthrax
CMG2
FP59
integrin β1
Tem8
title The Receptors that Mediate the Direct Lethality of Anthrax Toxin
title_full The Receptors that Mediate the Direct Lethality of Anthrax Toxin
title_fullStr The Receptors that Mediate the Direct Lethality of Anthrax Toxin
title_full_unstemmed The Receptors that Mediate the Direct Lethality of Anthrax Toxin
title_short The Receptors that Mediate the Direct Lethality of Anthrax Toxin
title_sort receptors that mediate the direct lethality of anthrax toxin
topic anthrax
CMG2
FP59
integrin β1
Tem8
url http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/5/1/1
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