Group B Streptococcal Hemolytic Pigment Impairs Platelet Function in a Two-Step Process
Kristin Jahn,
Patience Shumba,
Phoenicia Quach,
Mathias Müsken,
Jan Wesche,
Andreas Greinacher,
Lakshmi Rajagopal,
Sven Hammerschmidt,
Nikolai Siemens
Affiliations
Kristin Jahn
Center for Functional Genomics of Microbes, Department of Molecular Genetics and Infection Biology, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University of Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
Patience Shumba
Center for Functional Genomics of Microbes, Department of Molecular Genetics and Infection Biology, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University of Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
Phoenicia Quach
Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
Mathias Müsken
Central Facility for Microscopy, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
Jan Wesche
Department of Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
Andreas Greinacher
Department of Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
Lakshmi Rajagopal
Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
Sven Hammerschmidt
Center for Functional Genomics of Microbes, Department of Molecular Genetics and Infection Biology, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University of Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
Nikolai Siemens
Center for Functional Genomics of Microbes, Department of Molecular Genetics and Infection Biology, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University of Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
Group B streptococci (GBS) cause a range of invasive maternal–fetal diseases during pregnancy and post-partum. However, invasive infections in non-pregnant adults are constantly increasing. These include sepsis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, which are often complicated by systemic coagulation and thrombocytopenia. GBS express a hyper-hemolytic ornithine rhamnolipid pigment toxin with cytolytic and coagulatory activity. Here, we investigated the effects of GBS pigment on human platelets. Infections of platelets with pigmented GBS resulted initially in platelet activation, followed by necrotic cell death. Thus, this study shows that GBS pigment kills human platelets.
