Abstract

The effect of the extracellular protease of Salmonella schottmulleri on human serum constituents such as immunoglobulins, hemoglobin and lysozyme and tissue constituents such as fibronectin and collagens was investigated. This protease degraded collagens (type I and III), fibronectin and serum proteins such as human hemoglobin and lysozyme. Bovine serum albumin was degraded slightly. Thus, the present study suggested the possibility that this protease is not only played an important role in invasion of S. schottmulleri by degrading the constituent proteins such as collagens and fibronectin but also induced complications observed in septicemia and chronic infections by degrading the serum proteins. This protease is also capable of degrading defence-oriented humoral proteins, immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM). Furthermore, it is toxic to HEp-2 cells. These findings clarified the possible role of Salmonella protease as a virulence factor in the pathogenesis of Salmonella infections.

• Keywords: Degradation; Salmonella schottmulleri; protease; toxicity; HEp-2 cells