Stimulation of bacterial adherence by neutrophil defensins varies among bacterial species but not among host cell types.
Adherence of Haemophilus influenzae to bronchial epithelial cells is enhanced by neutrophil defensins, which are released from activated neutrophils during inflammation [Gorter et al. (1998) J. Infect. Dis. 178, 1067-1078]. In this study, we showed that the adherence of H. influenzae to various epithelial, fibroblast-like and endothelial cell types was significantly enhanced by defensins (20 microg ml(-1)). Defensins stimulated also the adherence of Moraxella catarrhalis, Neisseria meningitidis and nonencapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae to the NCI-H292 cell line. In contrast, defensins did not affect the adherence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, encapsulated S. pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis. These results suggest that the defensin-enhanced adherence might support the adherence and possibly persistence of the selected bacterial species using the respiratory tract as port of entry.
Gorter
A D
AD
Laboratory for Vaccine Research, National Institute for Public Health and Environment, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. annelies.gorter@rivm.nl
Hiemstra
P S
PS
de Bentzmann
S
S
van Wetering
S
S
Dankert
J
J
van Alphen
L
L
D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects*; D001980:Bronchi; D002460:Cell Line; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D023082:Defensins; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000382:microbiology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011506:Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D023082:Defensins; D011506:Proteins