Escherichia coli K1 RS218 interacts with human brain microvascular endothelial cells via type 1 fimbria bacteria in the fimbriated state.
Escherichia coli K1 is a major gram-negative organism causing neonatal meningitis. E. coli K1 binding to and invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) are a prerequisite for E. coli penetration into the central nervous system in vivo. In the present study, we showed using DNA microarray analysis that E. coli K1 associated with HBMEC expressed significantly higher levels of the fim genes compared to nonassociated bacteria. We also showed that E. coli K1 binding to and invasion of HBMEC were significantly decreased with its fimH deletion mutant and type 1 fimbria locked-off mutant, while they were significantly increased with its type 1 fimbria locked-on mutant. E. coli K1 strains associated with HBMEC were predominantly type 1 fimbria phase-on (i.e., fimbriated) bacteria. Taken together, we showed for the first time that type 1 fimbriae play an important role in E. coli K1 binding to and invasion of HBMEC and that type 1 fimbria phase-on E. coli is the major population interacting with HBMEC.
Teng
Ching-Hao
CH
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
Cai
Mian
M
Shin
Sooan
S
Xie
Yi
Y
Kim
Kee-Jun
KJ
Khan
Naveed Ahmed
NA
Di Cello
Francescopaolo
F
Kim
Kwang Sik
KS
D018830:Adhesins, Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000382:microbiology*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011817:Rabbits
D018830:Adhesins, Escherichia coli; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C058769:fimH protein, E coli; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins