title: Decay-accelerating factor is expressed in the human endometrium and may serve as the attachment ligand for Dr pili of Escherichia coli.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the hypothesis that different tissue substructures in uteri may express decay accelerating factor (DAF), a complement regulatory protein that also may serve as ligand for bacterial attachment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Purified Dr pili, anti-Dr pili IgG, anti-DAF (SCR-3) IgG, and fluorescein-isothiocyanate-conjugated secondary IgG were used for binding and inhibition experiments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed staining of endometrial glands, spiral arterioles, and myometrial arteries with Dr adhesin (pili) and anti-DAF (SCR-3) IgG, and found variation in distribution and amount of Dr ligands in different individuals. Anti-DAF (SCR-3) IgG blocked the binding of Dr pili to the endometrium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Presence of DAF in endometrium may protect tissues from complement-induced damage. Differences between individuals in DAF density in the endometrium may affect sensitivity to attachment of Dr-bearing E. coli and/or complement activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston 77555-0587.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaul
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Nowicki
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goluszko
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagamani
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: T Q
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nowicki
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D018958:CD55 Antigens; D004717:Endometrium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D015703:Antigens, CD; D018958:CD55 Antigens; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins