Identification of Leptospira interrogans Phospholipase C as a Novel Virulence Factor Responsible for Intracellular Free Calcium Ion Elevation during Macrophage Death

Abstract

This study demonstrated that L. interrogans infection induced [Ca(2+)]i elevation through extracellular Ca(2+) influx and intracellular Ca(2+) release cause macrophage apoptosis and necrosis, and the LB361 gene product was shown to be a novel PI-PLC of L. interrogans responsible for the [Ca(2+)]i elevation.