Escherichia coli K1 internalization via caveolae requires caveolin-1 and protein kinase Calpha interaction in human brain microvascular endothelial cells.

The morbidity and mortality associated with Escherichia coli K1 meningitis during the neonatal period have remained significant over the last decade and are once again on the rise. Transcytosis of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC) by E. coli within an endosome to avoid lysosomal fusion is crucial for dissemination into the central nervous system. Central to E. coli internalization of BMEC is the expression of OmpA (outer membrane protein A), which interacts with its receptor for the actin reorganization that leads to invasion. However, nothing is known about the nature of the signaling events for the formation of endosomes containing E. coli K1. We show here that E. coli K1 infection of human BMEC (HBMEC) results in activation of caveolin-1 for bacterial uptake via caveolae. The interaction of caveolin-1 with phosphorylated protein kinase Calpha (PKCalpha) at the E. coli attachment site is critical for the invasion of HBMEC. Optical sectioning of confocal images of infected HBMEC indicates continuing association of caveolin-1 with E. coli during transcytosis. Overexpression of a dominant-negative form of caveolin-1 containing mutations in the scaffolding domain blocked the interaction of phospho-PKCalpha with caveolin-1 and the E. coli invasion of HBMEC, but not actin cytoskeleton rearrangement or the phosphorylation of PKCalpha. The interaction of caveolin-1 with phospho-PKCalpha was completely abrogated in HBMEC overexpressing dominant-negative forms of either focal adhesion kinase or PKCalpha. Treatment of HBMEC with a cell-permeable peptide that represents the scaffolding domain, which was coupled to an antennapedia motif of a Drosophila transcription factor significantly blocked the interaction of caveolin-1 with phospho-PKCalpha and E. coli invasion. These results show that E. coli K1 internalizes HBMEC via caveolae and that the scaffolding domain of caveolin-1 plays a significant role in the formation of endosomes.