Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology Ph.D., University of Lodz, Poland 2088 Health Science North (304) 293-6405 slukomski@hsc.wvu.edu Curriculum Vitae

Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A Streptococcus; GAS) causes immense human suffering and a significant financial burden in the United States and globally.  It produces coat- and secreted products that help the bacteria to either colonize on or penetrate a body surface allowing the pathogen to cause an infection.  These products are called virulence factors.  Some virulence factors resemble (mimic) the molecules found in the human body.  One example of such coat-molecules that are studied in our laboratory are streptococcal collagen-like proteins, Scl1 and Scl2.  We hypothesize that molecular mimicry by the Scl proteins is used by the pathogen to interact with body components of the human host and might also be involved in autoimmune diseases associated with GAS infections.  The goal of our studies is to investigate the role of Scl proteins in GAS pathogenesis and also to develop new therapeutic strategies that will either protect the human host against colonization or block adhesion of the pathogen. 

Publications:

Doern, C. D., Roberts, A. L., Hong, W., Nelson, J., Lukomski, S., Swords, W. E., and Reid, S. D. (2009) Biofilm formation by group A Streptococcus: a role for the streptococcal regulator of virulence (Srv) and streptococcal cysteine protease (SpeB). Microbiology 155: 46-52.

Caswell, C.C., Barczyk, M., Keene, D.R., Lukomska, E., Gullberg, D.E., and Lukomski, S. (2008) Identification of the first prokaryotic collagen-sequence motif that mediates binding to human collagen receptors, integrins a₂b₁ and a₁₁b₁. J. Biol. Chem. 283: 36168-36175.

Caswell, C.C., Han, R., Hovis, K.M., Ciborowski, P., Keene, D.R., Marconi, R.T., and Lukomski, S. (2008) The Scl1 protein of M6-type group A Streptococcus binds the human complement regulatory protein, factor H, and inhibits the alternative pathway of complement. Mol. Microbiol. 67: 584-596.

Hoe, N. P., Lukomska, E., Musser, J. M., and Lukomski, S. (2007) Characterization of the immune response to collagen-like proteins Scl1 and Scl2 of serotype M1 and M28 group A Streptococcus. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 277:142-149.

Mohs, A., Silva, T., Yoshida, T., Amin, R., Lukomski, S., Inouye, M., and Brodsky, B. (2007) Mechanism of stabilization of a bacterial collagen triple helix in the absence of hydroxyproline. J. Biol. Chem. 282:29757-29765.

Caswell, C. C., Lukomska, E., and Lukomski, S. (2007) Scl1-dependent internalization of group A Streptococcus via direct interactions with the a₂b₁ integrin enhances pathogen survival and reemergence. Mol. Microbiol. 64: 1319-1331.

Pahlman, L. I., Marx, P. F., Morgelin, M., Lukomski, S., Meijers, J. C. M., and Herwald, H. (2007) Thrombin Activatable Fibrinolysis Inhibitor binds to Streptococcus pyogenes by interacting with collagen-like proteins A and B. J. Biol. Chem. 282: 24873-24881.

Han, R., Caswell, C. C., Lukomska, E., Keene, D. R., Pawlowski, M., Bujnicki, J. M., Kim, J. K., and Lukomski, S. (2006) Binding of the low density lipoprotein by streptococcal collagen-like protein Scl1 of Streptococcus pyogenes. Mol. Microbiol. 61: 351-367.

Han, R., Zwiefka, A., Caswell, C. C., Xu, Y., Keene, D. R., Lukomska, E., Zhao, Z., Hook, M., and Lukomski, S. (2006) Assessment of prokaryotic collagen-like sequences derived from streptococcal Scl1 and Scl2 proteins as a source of recombinant GXY polymers. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 72: 109-115.

Humtsoe, J. O., Kim, J. K., Xu, Y., Keene, D. R., Hook, M., Lukomski, S. and Wary, K. K. (2005) A streptococcal collagen-like protein interacts with a₂b₁ integrin and induces intracellular signaling. J. Biol. Chem. 280:13848-13857.