title: Patterns of adherence to HEp-2 cells and actin polymerisation by toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains.
abstract: Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains displayed different degrees of attachment to HEp-2 cell monolayers with two distinct adherence patterns, termed localised (LA) and diffuse (DA). The LA phenotype predominated over the DA phenotype. The non-sucrose fermenting strains expressing DA pattern adhered mostly with high index values (> or =10bact/cell). Low adhesion index (<10bact/cell) was mainly observed among sucrose fermenting strains. The fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled phalloidin assay (fluorescent-actin staining test) showed positive results for microorganisms of both LA and DA phenotypes. The FITC-labelled C. diphtheriae non-fimbrial surface proteins 67-72p interacted directly with HEp-2 cell membranes. Therefore, toxigenic C. diphtheriae exhibited LA and DA adherence patterns and ability to induce actin polymerisation. The experimental evidences also pointed to 67-72p as putative adhesins of C. diphtheriae to HEp-2 cells.
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, 3 degrees andar. Vila Isabel, Av. 28 de Setembro, 87 Fundos, CEP 20 551-030, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. guaraldi@uerj.br
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: Sonia M S
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Cláudio M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Rocha-de-Souza
authors.forename: Arnaldo F B
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Luiz H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Monteiro-Leal
authors.forename: Luiz C D
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Formiga
authors.forename: Ana L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Mattos-Guaraldi
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003353:Corynebacterium diphtheriae / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005452:Fluoresceins; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010590:Phalloidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005452:Fluoresceins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C037191:fluorescein isothiocyanate-phalloidin; D010590:Phalloidine; D013395:Sucrose