title: Arthropathic properties of cell wall polymers from normal flora bacteria.
abstract: Peptidoglycan-polysaccharide (PG-PS) fragments were purified from cell walls of group D streptococci (Streptococcus faecium, strains ATCC 9790 and F-24) with a protocol which minimizes autolytic activity and tested for ability to induce arthritis in rats. PG-PS fragments from cell walls of other normal flora bacteria (Peptostreptococcus productus, and Propionibacterium acnes), group A streptococci, and pseudomurein-PS fragments from cell walls of Methanobacterium formicicum, were similarly purified and tested. Upon intraarticular injection into rat ankles, all PG-PS polymers induced acute inflammation; pseudomurein-PS fragments were approximately five times less active than the PG-PS preparations. After intraperitoneal injection, P. acnes PG-PS induced a minimal acute arthritis, Peptostreptococcus productus PG-PS induced a moderately severe acute joint inflammation followed by a mild chronic arthritis, and both group A and group D streptococcal PG-PS induced severe acute arthritis which evolved into chronic, erosive joint disease; pseudomurein-PS fragments were without effect, consistent with a crucial role for the PG moiety of PG-PS. Chronic arthritis induced by group D streptococcal PG-PS subsided after 60 days, whereas that induced by group A streptococcal PG-PS was still active after 128 days. The arthropathic properties of this modest number of common normal flora bacteria suggest that different PG-PS structures derived from the normal flora have the potential to induce a wide range of responses, from transient acute to chronic erosive joint disease.
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000606:Amino Sugars / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000276:immunology*; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006601:Hexoses / Q000032:analysis; D009113:Muramidase / Q000378:metabolism; D011108:Polymers; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000606:Amino Sugars; D006601:Hexoses; D011108:Polymers; D009113:Muramidase