Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana adherence to and entry into cultured human epithelial cells.
Bartonella henselae expresses pili phenotypically similar to type 4 pili. B. henselae pilus expression undergoes phase variation with multiple passages. Low-passage-number, piliated B. henselae adhered to and invaded HEp-2 cells to a greater extent than did multiply passaged B. henselae with reduced pilus expression. Pili may be a pathogenic determinant for Bartonella species.
Batterman
H J
HJ
Department of Medicine, Stanford University, California 94305, USA.
Peek
J A
JA
Loutit
J S
JS
Falkow
S
S
Tompkins
L S
LS
D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018413:Bartonella quintana / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004848:Epithelium / Q000382:microbiology; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans