Salmonella typhimurium invasion of epithelial cells: Role of induced host cell tyrosine protein phosphorylation

Salmonella typhimurium invades nonphagocytic epithelial and fibroblast cells via a process resembling phagocytosis. We have compared some phenotypes that are involved in S. typhimurium invasion by using different host cell lines, including HeLa, Henle-407, and A431. Infection with either wild-type S. typhimurium, bacterial culture supernatant, or the noninvasive invA mutant was associated with induction of tyrosine phosphorylation of host cell mitogenic activating protein kinase. However, we did not detect induction of tyrosine phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor in S. typhimurium-infected cells. Treatment with the tyrosine protein kinase inhibitor genistein did not reduce S. typhimurium invasion into any of these cell lines. These results suggest that S. typhimurium invasion is independent of host cell epidermal growth factor receptor activation.