title: Invasion of human fallopian tube epithelium by Escherichia coli expressing combinations of a gonococcal porin, opacity-associated protein, and chimeric lipo-oligosaccharide.
abstract: The transepithelial migration of Escherichia coli that expressed all possible combinations of a plasmid-encoded gonococcal porin (Por), opacity-associated protein (Opa), and 3F11 lipo-oligosaccharide (LOS) epitope was investigated. Surface expression of Por mediated selective changes in E. coli antibiotic susceptibility, and coexpression of Opa and the 3F11 LOS epitope mediated bacterial clumping (P<.01). In the human fallopian tube organ-culture model, Opa-producing variants attached up to 44-fold better than control bacteria (P<.01), and Por-producing variants exceeded submucosal invasion of control bacteria by 500-fold (P<.01). Opa and Por each facilitated intracellular invasion 20-40-fold (P<.01). In dual expresser variants, the 3F11 LOS epitope markedly reduced attachment and invasion mediated by Opa or Por. The LOS inhibitory effect was curbed when all 3 factors were expressed, which suggests an additional interaction of the 3 factors at the bacterial surface. Por, Opa, and LOS play important roles in Neisseria gonorrhoeae trafficking across human fallopian tube epithelium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Omaha Veterans Administration Medical Center, 4101 Woolworth Ave., Omaha, NE 68105, USA. gorby@omaha.va.gov
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gorby
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ehrhardt
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Apicella
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Elkins
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000382:microbiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D018272:Porins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D018272:Porins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C023023:lipid-linked oligosaccharides; C050308:opacity proteins; C057699:porin protein, Neisseria