Binding of Fibronectin to SsPepO Facilitates the Development of Streptococcus suis Meningitis

Abstract

By analyzing Evans blue extravasation in vivo, we showed that the interaction between SsPepO and human fibronectin significantly increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Furthermore, the SspepO mutant caused lower bacterial loads in the brain than wild-type S. suis in models of meningitis. These data demonstrate that SsPepO is a fibronectin-binding protein, which plays a contributing role in the development of S. suis meningitis.