Intimin-dependent binding of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli to host cells triggers novel signaling events, including tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma1.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) interactions with HeLa epithelial cells induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of a host protein of approximately 150 kDa, Hp150. Phosphorylation of this protein band was dependent on the interaction of the EPEC protein intimin with epithelial cell surfaces and was correlated with pedestal formation. Hp150 phosphorylation was specifically inhibited by the addition of cytochalasin D, an inhibitor of actin polymerization, although this appeared to be an indirect effect preventing interaction of intimin with its receptor, tyrosine-phosphorylated Hp90, and thus triggering Hp150 phosphorylation. This suggests the involvement of an actin-based movement of membrane-bound tyrosine-phosphorylated Hp90 to allow its interaction with intimin. Analysis of the tyrosine-phosphorylated Hp150 protein demonstrated that it is heterogeneous in composition, with phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1) being a minor component. Activation of PLC-gamma1 by tyrosine phosphorylation leads to inositol triphosphate and Ca2+ fluxes, events detected following EPEC infection. EPEC also induced tyrosine dephosphorylation of host proteins, including a 240-kDa host protein (Hp240), following EPEC infection. Protein dephosphorylation appears to be a signaling event which occurs independently of intimin. Inhibition of host tyrosine dephosphorylation events by the addition of the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor sodium vanadate did not prevent actin accumulation beneath the adherent bacteria. We conclude that EPEC induces two sets of signaling events following infection. One set is dependent on EPEC proteins secreted by the type III secretion pathway (EspA and EspB) which induces Hp90 tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of host phosphotyrosine proteins. The second set, which is also dependent on the first signaling events, requires intimin interaction with its receptor, tyrosine-phosphorylated Hp90, to trigger Hp150 and PLC-gamma1 tyrosine phosphorylation as well as pedestal formation. Inhibition of pedestal formation by tyrosine kinase inhibitors indicates an important role for tyrosine phosphorylation events during EPEC subversion of host processes.