Immunoglobulin A Protease Variants Facilitate Intracellular Survival in Epithelial Cells By Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae That Persist in the Human Respiratory Tract in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

IgA proteases B1 and B2 cleave LAMP1 and mediate intracellular survival in respiratory epithelial cells. Intracellular persistence of NTHi selects for expression of IgA proteases B1 and B2. The variants of NTHi IgA proteases play distinct roles in pathogenesis of infection.