title: Haemagglutinins and adhesion of Escherichia coli to HEp2 epithelial cells.
abstract: Strains of Escherichia coli producing type-1 fimbriae, associated with mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin (MSHA), or three antigenically different kinds of 'MRE' fimbriae, associated with mannose-resistant and eluting haemagglutinins (MREHAs), adhered poorly to HEp2 epithelial cells in an in-vitro adhesion model previously used to demonstrate the importance of motility and type-1 fimbriae for the attachment of strains of Salmonella typhimurium to HEp2 cells. Strains of E. coli producing narrow-spectrum MREHA, agglutinating human erythrocytes only of 14 red-cell species tested, adhered well to HEp2 cells, particularly so when bacteria produced MSHA (and type-1 fimbriae) along with the narrow-spectrum 'man-only' MREHA. These findings are discussed with regard to recent observations suggesting that narrow-spectrum 'man-only' MREHA in E. coli may be associated with fine, fibrillar appendages 2-nm wide.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tavendale
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Old
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D002460:Cell Line; D004848:Epithelium / Q000382:microbiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006388:Hemagglutinins; D006801:Humans; D008766:Methylmannosides / Q000494:pharmacology; D009068:Movement
chemical_list: D006388:Hemagglutinins; D008766:Methylmannosides; C008466:methylmannoside