The Role of Plasmids in Adherence of Invasive Escherichia coli to Mammalian Cells

Abstract

Strains of Escherichia coli isolated from persons with dysentery-like diarrheal disease were demonstrated to adhere to the surface of cultured HEp-2 (human epithelial) cells under conditions that removed nonpathogenic control bacteria and to cause hemagglutination of human red blood cells. The plasmid content of 13 stains surveyed was found to be variable with respect to resistance to antibiotics and the presence of small cryptic plasmids. Conjugal transfer to resistance plasmids from two of the clinical isolates to a number of nonpathogenic laboratory and field isolates of E. coli was not accompanied by transfer of the capacity either for specific interaction with cultured HEp-2 cells or for hemagglutination of human red blood cells. Furthermore, cured derivatives of the enteroinvasive strains retained positive reactions in the assay systems.

Characterization of nonfimbrial mannose-resistant protein hemagglutinins of two Escherichia coli strains isolated from infants with enteritis

“…Pathogenic E. coli strains 444-3 (O? :H4) and 469-3 (021:H-), which can adhere to and penetrate cultured human epithelial cells (16), have been described previously (17). Plasmid-cured derivatives were obtained by treatment with ethidium bromide as previously described (1, 25).…”

“…Plasmid-cured derivatives were obtained by treatment with ethidium bromide as previously described (1, 25). Strain 01 was isolated from the feces of a healthy person and is used here as a "control" strain (17). Culture medium for all strains was Luria broth (10 g of Bacto-Tryptone [Difco Laboratories] per liter, 5 g of yeast extract [Difco] per liter, 0.5 g of NaCl per liter, adjusted to pH 7.0 with 1 M NaOH) solidified with 1.5% agar if required.…”

“…We previously described two independent strains of Escherichia coli, designated 444-3 and 469-3, isolated from cases of severe dysentery-like diarrheal disease of infants (17). These strains adhere to cultured human epithelial cells in the presence of D-mannose, showing remarkably close apposition of the bacterial membrane with cell surfaces and microvilli (16).…”

Lack of association ofEscherichia coliexhibiting both mannose-resistant haemagglutination and diffuse adherence to Hep-2 cells with acute diarrhoea in children

“…The correlation between MRHA and adhesiveness has not been investigated to such an extent with faecal E. coli as with uropathogenic strains. It has been shown (14,15) that two E. coli strains, isolated from severe infantile diarrhoea, adhered to and penetrated HEp-2 cells and also mediated MRHA of human erythrocytes. Tavendale and Old (16) reported on a few faecal strains which agglutinated only human erythrocytes among 14 red-cell species tested and adhered well to HEp-2 cells; the pattern of adherence was not precisely determined.…”

The digestive tract in immunocompromised patients: importance of maintaining its resistance to colonization, especially in hospital in-patients and those taking antibiotics

“…At the same time, genetic information for adherence factors (Evans et al, 1975) or enterotoxin production may be exchanged in vivo (Nandadasa et al, 1981) although this is questioned by others (Echeverria and Murphy, 1980). Transfer of plasmids by bacterial conjugation is possible in vivo when CR is decreased, because a decreased CR permits a strong increase in the occurrence of resistant strains (Van der Waaij, 1979b).…”