title: Evidence for pili-mediated adherence of Klebsiella pneumoniae to rat bladder epithelial cells in vitro.
abstract: The possible role of pili in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae was studied in an in vitro mixture of a phosphate-buffered saline suspension of rat bladder epithelial cells and phosphate-buffered saline-washed K. pneumoniae. Nonpiliated and piliated populations derived from a single K. pneumoniae strain were obtained by controlling the total time of growth in broth medium. The piliated phase demonstrated a significant increase in adherence when compared to the nonpiliated phase. Incubation of the bacteria and epithelial cell mixture at 4 and 37 degrees C resulted in no differences in adherence; optimal adherence occurred at pH 5. Pretreatment of the bacteria with enzymes to destroy the pili resulted in a decrease in adherence, as did killing the bacteria by various means before adherence testing. Pretreatment of the epithelial cells with certain saccharides inhibited bacterial adherence. Finally, a 96% decrease in adherence was observed after coincubation of bacteria and epithelial cells with papain-treated antipili antibodies. Thus, it appears that pili on the surface of K. pneumoniae mediate attachment of the bacteria to rat bladder epithelial cells.
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D000818:Animals; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D004848:Epithelium / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008358:Mannose / Q000494:pharmacology; D008362:Mannosides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013696:Temperature; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D008362:Mannosides; D008358:Mannose