Pili as a mediator of the attachment of gonococci to human erythrocytes

Buchanan, Thomas M.; Pearce, William A.

doi:10.1128/iai.13.5.1483-1489.1976

Cited by 99 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 10 publications

(12 reference statements)

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“…Previous studies suggested that pili were responsible for the attachment of meningococci and gonococci to erythrocytes (6,16,26,37). However, we found strain-to-strain variation among piliated meningococci with respect to erythrocyte attachment.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 75%

Evidence for functionally distinct pili expressed by Neisseria meningitidis

1991

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In order to investigate possible functional consequences of phase and antigenic variation of meningococci, the attachment of 15 strains of Neisseria meningitidis to human erythrocytes was studied by a nitrocellulose hemadsorption assay. This assay allows the study of individual meningococcal colonies with respect to erythrocyte attachment. Of the 15 strains studied, 7 demonstrated binding of human erythrocytes (HA').Among these seven strains, the percentage of colonies that were HA' ranged from 0.2 to 97%. Meningococcal colonies that did not produce pilin (the major structural subunit of pili) did not demonstrate erythrocyte binding (HA-). The HA+ colony phenotype was correlated with assembly of pilin into pili and expression of pili on the meningococcal surface. However, only some piliated colonies bound human erythrocytes. This could not be explained by differences between piliated HA' and HA-colonies in the amount of pilin produced or by differences in number of pili expressed per diplococcus. Pili of five of the meningococcal strains with HA' colonies were antigenically related to gonococcal pili (class I meningococcal pili), but HA' colonies were also seen in two meningococcal strains expressing class II meningococcal pili. Changes from HA' to HA-and from HAto HA+, in the presence of continuing pilin production and pilus assembly, occurred at frequencies of up to l0-2/CFU per generation. Such frequencies resemble those of phase and antigenic variation described previously for Neisseria species pilin. These studies indicate that phase variation influences the ability of meningococci to attach to human cells and suggest that meningococci may express functionally different pili.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 75%

Evidence for functionally distinct pili expressed by Neisseria meningitidis

1991

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“…We have recently shown (unpublished data) that the bacterial hemagglutination of human erythrocytes is resistant to inhibition by 0.5% D-mannose, whereas the hemagglutination of chicken erythrocytes is susceptible to inhibition by D-mannose. It should be noted that the hemagglutination of erythrocytes by common pili of E. coli is inhibited by D-mannose (5), whereas the hemagglutination of erythrocytes by virulence-associated cellular appendages such as K88 or pili of gonococci is D-mannose insensitive (1,8).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of hemolysin production, hemagglutination of human erythrocytes, and virulence for chicken embryos of extraintestinal Escherichia coli isolates

Minshew¹,

Jorgensen²,

Counts³

et al. 1978

Infect Immun

184

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One hundred forty-two strains of Escherichia coli isolated from extraintestinal infections were examined for colicin V (ColV) and hemolysin (Hly) production. For comparison, 20 strains isolated from the feces of normal individuals and 12 enteropathogenic strains of E. coli were tested for these properties. Thirty-five to 59% of extraintestinal isolates were Hly+, but only one fecal strain was Hly+. Colicin V biosynthesis was found for 12% of blood culture isolates, 7% of urine culture isolates and 16% of the strains from other extraintestinal infections. None of the fecal isolates was ColV+. Selected strains were tested for virulence in 13-day-old chicken embryos; these same strains were tested for their ability to hemagglutinate chicken or human erythrocytes. Of 22 extraintestinal isolates, 13 (59%) killed greater than or equal to 60% of the embryos within 72 h. Only one of eight normal fecal isolates and two of three enteropathogenic strains tested were virulent. About 80% of the virulent strains were Hly+. The most striking finding, however, was the hemagglutination of human erythrocytes by virulent extraintestinal isolates. It seems possible that the hemagglutination property reflects a specific common adherence factor.

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“…Thus it would appear that gonococci, like other bacteria, may be able to attach to host cells by means of surface factors other than pili (4,16,18,19). Nonetheless, pili have been postulated to promote virulence by enhancing attachment to host cells (1,6,11,13,22), and in this respect it is interesting to note the profuse occurrence of long pili on pathogenic neisseria in contrast to the sparse occurrence of long pili on nonpathogenic neisseria. However, even if pili do aid in attachment of gonococci to host cells, attachment alone does not explain the damage to host cells that follows.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship of pili to colonial morphology among pathogenic and nonpathogenic species of Neisseria

McGee¹,

Dourmashkin²,

Groß³

et al. 1977

Infect Immun

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Growth in colonies with type 1 morphology and the presence of pili are characteristics that have been associated with virulence of gonococci for humans. To determine whether the presence of pili per se might be responsible for colony type 1 morphology, the relationship ofpili to colony type was examined in various species ofNeisseria. Short pili (175 to 210 nm in length) were seen only on nonpathogenic neisseria, whereas long pili (up to 4,300 nm) were seen on organisms ofboth nonpathogenic and pathogenic species. Although long pili, similar to those found on organisms from high-domed, type 1 colonies of gonococci, were observed on organisms from high-domed, type 1 colonies of nonpathogenic Neisseria species, they were also observed on low-convex, type 4 colonies of meningococci and nonpathogenic neisseria. Among meningococci there was no difference in the morphology of colonies consisting of organisms with many long pili and colonies consisting of organisms that completely lacked pili. Thus, there was no consistent relationship of pili to colonial morphology. Unless the pili of N. gonorrhoeae are unique among Neisseria species in their influence on colonial morphology, it is likely that factors other than pili determine colony type 1 morphology of gonococci. Whether these same factors, either alone or in conjunction with pili, are also responsible for gonococcal virulence warrants further investigation.

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Pili as a mediator of the attachment of gonococci to human erythrocytes

Cited by 99 publications

References 10 publications

Evidence for functionally distinct pili expressed by Neisseria meningitidis

Evidence for functionally distinct pili expressed by Neisseria meningitidis

Association of hemolysin production, hemagglutination of human erythrocytes, and virulence for chicken embryos of extraintestinal Escherichia coli isolates

Relationship of pili to colonial morphology among pathogenic and nonpathogenic species of Neisseria

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