A phosphoramidon-sensitive metalloprotease induces apoptosis of human endothelial cells by Group B Streptococcus.

We explored Group B Streptococcus (GBS)-induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and the role of phosphoramidon, a zinc metalloprotease inhibitor, in this process. GBS 90186 strain (serotype V, a blood isolate) and concentrated supernatant (CS) were used to investigate the viability and morphological alterations in HUVEC by Trypan blue uptake, electrophoresis in 2 % agarose gel and scanning electron microscopy assays. Apoptosis before and after phosphoramidon-treatment were verified by flow cytometry using annexin V-FITC labeling. Differences were considered significant when P < 0.05 using unpaired Student's t test. GBS and CS induced HUVEC death by apoptosis (76.5 and 32 %, respectively) with an increasing pro-apoptotic Bax expression and decreasing anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression. Caspase-3 was activated during GBS-induced endothelial apoptosis. Phosphoramidon reduced 89.3 and 100 % of GBS and CS cell death by apoptosis, respectively. Some GBS strains may induce cell death by apoptosis with involvement of metalloproteases and signaling through the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, which may contribute to GBS survival during sepsis of adults and neonates.