Lars Björck

Antimicrobial activities of heparin-binding peptides. (2004)

Andersson, Emma, Rydengård, Victoria, Sonesson, Andreas, Mörgelin, Matthias, Björck, Lars, Schmidtchen, Artur

Antimicrobial peptides are effector molecules of the innate immune system. We recently showed that the human antimicrobial peptides alpha-defensin and LL-37 bind to glycosaminoglycans (heparin and...

SpeB modulates fibronectin-dependent internalization of Streptococcus pyogenes by efficient proteolysis of cell-wall-anchored protein F1. (2004)

Nyberg, Patrik, Rasmussen, Magnus, Björck, Lars

SpeB is a cysteine proteinase and virulence determinant secreted by the important human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes. Recent investigations have suggested a role for SpeB in streptococcal entry...

Specific in vivo deletion of B-cell subpopulations expressing human immunoglobulins by the B-cell superantigen protein L (2004)

Viau, Muriel, Longo, Nancy S, Lipsky, Peter E, Björck, Lars, Zouali, Moncef

Some pathogens have evolved to produce proteins, called B-cell superantigens, that can interact with human immunoglobulin variable regions, independently of the combining site, and activate B...

Differences in Backbone Dynamics of Two Homologous Bacterial Albumin-binding Modules: Implications for Binding Specificity and Bacterial Adaptation. (2002)

Johansson, Maria U, Nilsson, Hanna, Evenäs, Johan, Forsén, Sture, Drakenberg, Torbjörn, Björck, Lars, ...

Proteins G and PAB are bacterial albumin-binding proteins expressed at the surface of group C and G streptococci and Peptostreptococcus magnus, respectively. Repeated albumin-binding domains, known...

Structure, specificity, and mode of interaction for bacterial albumin-binding modules. (2002)

Johansson, Maria U, Frick, Inga-Maria, Nilsson, Hanna, Kraulis, Per J, Hober, Sophia, Jonasson, Per, ...

We have determined the solution structure of an albumin binding domain of protein G, a surface protein of group C and G streptococci. We find that it folds into a left handed three-helix bundle...

IdeS, a novel streptococcal cysteine proteinase with unique specificity for immunoglobulin G. (2002)

Johansson, Björn P, Björck, Lars

Recent work from several laboratories has demonstrated that proteolytic mechanisms significantly contribute to the molecular interplay between Streptococcus pyogenes, an important human pathogen, and...

Proteolysis and its regulation at the surface of Streptococcus pyogenes. (2002)

Rasmussen, Magnus, Björck, Lars

Pathogenic bacteria often produce proteinases that are believed to be involved in virulence. Moreover, several host defence systems depend on proteolysis, demonstrating that proteolysis and its...

Uptake and intracellular transportation of a bacterial surface protein in lymphoid cells. (2002)

Frick, Inga-Maria, Axcrona, Karol, Härdig, Ylva, Tapper, Hans, Gustafsson, Lotta, Kellner, Roland, ...

Some strains of the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes express a surface protein called protein H, which is released from the streptococcal surface by a cysteine proteinase produced by the...

Peptidoglycan from Staphylococcus aureus induces tissue factor expression and procoagulant activity in human monocytes. (2002)

Mattsson, Eva, Herwald, Heiko, Björck, Lars, Egesten, Arne

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most significant pathogens in human sepsis and endocarditis. S. aureus can initiate blood coagulation, leading to the formation of microthrombi and multiorgan...

The regulator PerR is involved in oxidative stress response and iron homeostasis and is necessary for full virulence of Streptococcus pyogenes. (2002)

Ricci, Susanna, Janulczyk, Robert, Björck, Lars

Ferric uptake regulator (Fur) and Fur-like proteins form an important family of transcriptional regulators in many bacterial species. In this work we have characterized a Fur-like protein, the...

Proteinases of common pathogenic bacteria degrade and inactivate the antibacterial peptide LL-37 (2002)

Schmidtchen, Artur, Frick, Inga-Maria, Andersson, Emma, Tapper, Hans, Björck, Lars

Effectors of the innate immune system, the anti-bacterial peptides, have pivotal roles in preventing infection at epithelial surfaces. Here we show that proteinases of the significant human pathogens...

Protein H, an Antiphagocytic Surface Protein in Streptococcus pyogenes

Kihlberg, Britt-Marie, Collin, Mattias, Olsén, Arne, Björck, Lars

Surface-associated M protein is a major virulence factor in Streptococcus pyogenes which confers bacterial resistance to phagocytosis. However, many S. pyogenes strains also express additional...

SclA, a Novel Collagen-Like Surface Protein of Streptococcus pyogenes

Rasmussen, Magnus, Edén, Arvid, Björck, Lars

Surface proteins of Streptococcus pyogenes are important virulence factors. Here we describe a novel collagen-like surface protein, designated SclA (streptococcal collagen-like surface protein). The...

Staphylococcus aureus Induces Release of Bradykinin in Human Plasma

Mattsson, Eva, Herwald, Heiko, Cramer, Henning, Persson, Kristin, Sjöbring, Ulf, Björck, Lars

Staphylococcus aureus is a prominent human pathogen. Here we report that intact S. aureus bacteria activate the contact system in human plasma in vitro, resulting in a massive release of the potent...

Bacterial Immunoglobulin Superantigen Proteins A and L Activate Human Heart Mast Cells by Interacting with Immunoglobulin E

Genovese, Arturo, Bouvet, Jean-Pierre, Florio, Giovanni, Lamparter-Schummert, Bärbel, Björck, Lars, Marone, Gianni

Human heart mast cells (HHMC) have been identified in heart tissue, perivascularly, and in the intima of coronary arteries. In vitro activation of isolated HHMC induces the release of vasoactive and...

Curli, Fibrous Surface Proteins of Escherichia coli, Interact with Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Molecules

Olsén, Arne, Wick, Mary Jo, Mörgelin, Matthias, Björck, Lars

Curli are thin, coiled fibers expressed on the surface of Escherichia coli that bind several matrix and plasma proteins such as fibronectin, laminin, plasminogen, tissue plasminogen activator, and...

Identification of an Insertion Sequence Located in a Region Encoding Virulence Factors of Streptococcus pyogenes

Berge, Andreas, Rasmussen, Magnus, Björck, Lars

An insertion sequence, IS1562, was identified in a Streptococcus pyogenes strain of the clinically important M1 serotype. IS1562 is located in the mga regulon between the genes coding for the M...

IdeS, a novel streptococcal cysteine proteinase with unique specificity for immunoglobulin G

Johansson, Björn P., Björck, Lars

Recent work from several laboratories has demonstrated that proteolytic mechanisms significantly contribute to the molecular interplay between Streptococcus pyogenes, an important human pathogen, and...

Peptidoglycan from Staphylococcus aureus Induces Tissue Factor Expression and Procoagulant Activity in Human Monocytes

Mattsson, Eva, Herwald, Heiko, Björck, Lars, Egesten, Arne

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most significant pathogens in human sepsis and endocarditis. S. aureus can initiate blood coagulation, leading to the formation of microthrombi and multiorgan...

The Regulator PerR Is Involved in Oxidative Stress Response and Iron Homeostasis and Is Necessary for Full Virulence of Streptococcus pyogenes

Ricci, Susanna, Janulczyk, Robert, Björck, Lars

Ferric uptake regulator (Fur) and Fur-like proteins form an important family of transcriptional regulators in many bacterial species. In this work we have characterized a Fur-like protein, the...

MtsABC Is Important for Manganese and Iron Transport, Oxidative Stress Resistance, and Virulence of Streptococcus pyogenes

Janulczyk, Robert, Ricci, Susanna, Björck, Lars

MtsABC is a Streptococcus pyogenes ABC transporter which was previously shown to be involved in iron and zinc accumulation. In this study, we showed that an mtsABC mutant has impaired growth,...

Specific In Vivo Deletion of B-Cell Subpopulations Expressing Human Immunoglobulins by the B-Cell Superantigen Protein L

Viau, Muriel, Longo, Nancy S., Lipsky, Peter E., Björck, Lars, Zouali, Moncef

Some pathogens have evolved to produce proteins, called B-cell superantigens, that can interact with human immunoglobulin variable regions, independently of the combining site, and activate B...

Interactions with fibronectin attenuate the virulence of Streptococcus pyogenes

Nyberg, Patrik, Sakai, Takao, Cho, Kyu Hong, Caparon, Michael G, Fässler, Reinhard, Björck, Lars

Fibronectin-binding surface proteins are found in many bacterial species. Most strains of Streptococcus pyogenes, a major human pathogen, express the fibronectin-binding protein F1, which promotes...

Activation of the complement system generates antibacterial peptides

Nordahl, Emma Andersson, Rydengård, Victoria, Nyberg, Patrik, Nitsche, D. Patric, Mörgelin, Matthias, Malmsten, Martin, ...

The complement system represents an evolutionary old and significant part of the innate immune system involved in protection against invading microorganisms. Here, we show that the anaphylatoxin C3a...

Structure of the streptococcal endopeptidase IdeS, a cysteine proteinase with strict specificity for IgG

Wenig, Katja, Chatwell, Lorenz, Björck, Lars, Huber, Robert, Sondermann, Peter

Pathogenic bacteria have developed complex and diverse virulence mechanisms that weaken or disable the host immune defense system. IdeS (IgG-degrading enzyme of Streptococcus pyogenes) is a secreted...

Protein H, an Antiphagocytic Surface Protein in Streptococcus pyogenes

Kihlberg, Britt-Marie, Collin, Mattias, Olsén, Arne, Björck, Lars

Surface-associated M protein is a major virulence factor in Streptococcus pyogenes which confers bacterial resistance to phagocytosis. However, many S. pyogenes strains also express additional...

SclA, a Novel Collagen-Like Surface Protein of Streptococcus pyogenes

Rasmussen, Magnus, Edén, Arvid, Björck, Lars

Surface proteins of Streptococcus pyogenes are important virulence factors. Here we describe a novel collagen-like surface protein, designated SclA (streptococcal collagen-like surface protein). The...

Staphylococcus aureus Induces Release of Bradykinin in Human Plasma

Mattsson, Eva, Herwald, Heiko, Cramer, Henning, Persson, Kristin, Sjöbring, Ulf, Björck, Lars

Staphylococcus aureus is a prominent human pathogen. Here we report that intact S. aureus bacteria activate the contact system in human plasma in vitro, resulting in a massive release of the potent...

Bacterial Immunoglobulin Superantigen Proteins A and L Activate Human Heart Mast Cells by Interacting with Immunoglobulin E

Genovese, Arturo, Bouvet, Jean-Pierre, Florio, Giovanni, Lamparter-Schummert, Bärbel, Björck, Lars, Marone, Gianni

Human heart mast cells (HHMC) have been identified in heart tissue, perivascularly, and in the intima of coronary arteries. In vitro activation of isolated HHMC induces the release of vasoactive and...

Curli, Fibrous Surface Proteins of Escherichia coli, Interact with Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Molecules

Olsén, Arne, Wick, Mary Jo, Mörgelin, Matthias, Björck, Lars

Curli are thin, coiled fibers expressed on the surface of Escherichia coli that bind several matrix and plasma proteins such as fibronectin, laminin, plasminogen, tissue plasminogen activator, and...

Identification of an Insertion Sequence Located in a Region Encoding Virulence Factors of Streptococcus pyogenes

Berge, Andreas, Rasmussen, Magnus, Björck, Lars

An insertion sequence, IS1562, was identified in a Streptococcus pyogenes strain of the clinically important M1 serotype. IS1562 is located in the mga regulon between the genes coding for the M...

IdeS, a novel streptococcal cysteine proteinase with unique specificity for immunoglobulin G

Johansson, Björn P., Björck, Lars

Recent work from several laboratories has demonstrated that proteolytic mechanisms significantly contribute to the molecular interplay between Streptococcus pyogenes, an important human pathogen, and...

Peptidoglycan from Staphylococcus aureus Induces Tissue Factor Expression and Procoagulant Activity in Human Monocytes

Mattsson, Eva, Herwald, Heiko, Björck, Lars, Egesten, Arne

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most significant pathogens in human sepsis and endocarditis. S. aureus can initiate blood coagulation, leading to the formation of microthrombi and multiorgan...

The Regulator PerR Is Involved in Oxidative Stress Response and Iron Homeostasis and Is Necessary for Full Virulence of Streptococcus pyogenes

Ricci, Susanna, Janulczyk, Robert, Björck, Lars

Ferric uptake regulator (Fur) and Fur-like proteins form an important family of transcriptional regulators in many bacterial species. In this work we have characterized a Fur-like protein, the...

MtsABC Is Important for Manganese and Iron Transport, Oxidative Stress Resistance, and Virulence of Streptococcus pyogenes

Janulczyk, Robert, Ricci, Susanna, Björck, Lars

MtsABC is a Streptococcus pyogenes ABC transporter which was previously shown to be involved in iron and zinc accumulation. In this study, we showed that an mtsABC mutant has impaired growth,...

Specific In Vivo Deletion of B-Cell Subpopulations Expressing Human Immunoglobulins by the B-Cell Superantigen Protein L

Viau, Muriel, Longo, Nancy S., Lipsky, Peter E., Björck, Lars, Zouali, Moncef

Some pathogens have evolved to produce proteins, called B-cell superantigens, that can interact with human immunoglobulin variable regions, independently of the combining site, and activate B...

Interactions with fibronectin attenuate the virulence of Streptococcus pyogenes

Nyberg, Patrik, Sakai, Takao, Cho, Kyu Hong, Caparon, Michael G, Fässler, Reinhard, Björck, Lars

Fibronectin-binding surface proteins are found in many bacterial species. Most strains of Streptococcus pyogenes, a major human pathogen, express the fibronectin-binding protein F1, which promotes...

Activation of the complement system generates antibacterial peptides

Nordahl, Emma Andersson, Rydengård, Victoria, Nyberg, Patrik, Nitsche, D. Patric, Mörgelin, Matthias, Malmsten, Martin, ...

The complement system represents an evolutionary old and significant part of the innate immune system involved in protection against invading microorganisms. Here, we show that the anaphylatoxin C3a...

Structure of the streptococcal endopeptidase IdeS, a cysteine proteinase with strict specificity for IgG

Wenig, Katja, Chatwell, Lorenz, Björck, Lars, Huber, Robert, Sondermann, Peter

Pathogenic bacteria have developed complex and diverse virulence mechanisms that weaken or disable the host immune defense system. IdeS (IgG-degrading enzyme of Streptococcus pyogenes) is a secreted...

The contact system—a novel branch of innate immunity generating antibacterial peptides

Frick, Inga-Maria, Åkesson, Per, Herwald, Heiko, Mörgelin, Matthias, Malmsten, Martin, Nägler, Dorit K, ...

Activation of the contact system has two classical consequences: initiation of the intrinsic pathway of coagulation, and cleavage of high molecular weight kininogen (HK) leading to the release of...

Deoxyribonucleoside Kinases Activate Nucleoside Antibiotics in Severely Pathogenic Bacteria▿

Sandrini, Michael P. B., Shannon, Oonagh, Clausen, Anders R., Björck, Lars, Piškur, Jure

Common bacterial pathogens are becoming progressively more resistant to traditional antibiotics, representing a major public-health crisis. Therefore, there is a need for a variety of antibiotics...

Severe Lung Lesions Caused by Salmonella Are Prevented by Inhibition of the Contact System

Persson, Kristin, Mörgelin, Matthias, Lindbom, Lennart, Alm, Per, Björck, Lars, Herwald, Heiko

Vascular damage induced by trauma, inflammation, or infection results in an alteration of the endothelium from a nonactivated to a procoagulant, vasoconstrictive, and proinflammatory state, and can...

Antibodies against a Surface Protein of Streptococcus pyogenes Promote a Pathological Inflammatory Response

Kahn, Fredrik, Mörgelin, Matthias, Shannon, Oonagh, Norrby-Teglund, Anna, Herwald, Heiko, Olin, Anders I., ...

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) caused by Streptococcus pyogenes is a clinical condition with a high mortality rate despite modern intensive care. A key feature of STSS is excessive plasma...

IgG glycan hydrolysis by a bacterial enzyme as a therapy against autoimmune conditions

Collin, Mattias, Shannon, Oonagh, Björck, Lars

EndoS from Streptococcus pyogenes efficiently hydrolyzes the functionally important and conserved N-linked glycan of IgG in human blood. Repeated i.v. administration of EndoS in rabbits completely...

Identification of a novel protein promoting the colonization and survival of Finegoldia magna, a bacterial commensal and opportunistic pathogen

Frick, Inga-Maria, Karlsson, Christofer, Mörgelin, Matthias, Olin, Anders I, Janjusevic, Radmila, Hammarström, Clara, ...

Anaerobic bacteria dominate the human normal microbiota, but strikingly little is known about these commensals. Finegoldia magna is a Gram-positive anaerobe found in the skin and at other non-sterile...

Targeted Quantitative Analysis of Streptococcus pyogenes Virulence Factors by Multiple Reaction Monitoring*S⃞

Lange, Vinzenz, Malmström, Johan A., Didion, John, King, Nichole L., Johansson, Björn P., Schäfer, Juliane, ...

In many studies, particularly in the field of systems biology, it is essential that identical protein sets are precisely quantified in multiple samples such as those representing differentially...