title: Sulfatide and its synthetic analogues recognition by Moraxella catarrhalis.
abstract: Moraxella catarrhalis is one of the major pathogens of respiratory and middle ear infections. Attachment of this bacterium to the surface of human pharyngeal epithelial cells is the first step in the pathogenesis of infections. This study revealed that sulfatide might act as a binding molecule for the attachment of M. catarrhalis to human pharyngeal epithelial cells. Furthermore, six different synthetic sulfatides were found to inhibit the attachment of M. catarrhalis significantly at an optimum concentration of 10 microg/ml. Synthetic sulfatides may have the potential to be used as a therapy to prevent M. catarrhalis infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ozcelik
authors.forename: Fatma Betul
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Bezirci
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uzawa
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Kazukiyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Daisei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagatake
authors.forename: Kamruddin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahmed
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D045828:Moraxellaceae Infections; D010614:Pharynx / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids