A beta-linked mannan inhibits adherence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to human lung epithelial cells

Adherence through carbohydrate-binding adhesins is an earlystep in colonization of the lung by gram-negative organisms,and because published data indicate that binding involves mannosegroups, we tested the ability of a ß-linked acetylmannan(acemannan) to inhibit adherence of Pseudomonus aeruginosa tocultures of human lung epithelial cells. Adherence of radiolabelledP.aeruginosa to A549 cells (a type II-like pneurnocyte line)increased linearly with the duration of the incubation. Acemannaninhibited adherence of bacteria, and the extent of inhibitionwas related to the concentration of the mannan. Inhibition requiredcontinued contact between acemannan and the target epithelialcells; cells washed free of acemannan no longer discouragedbacterial binding. Comparison of binding between seven strainsof P.aeruginosa indicated that fewer mucoid than non-mucoidbacteria adhered, but binding of either phenotype was inhibitedby acemannan. Mannose methyl -D-mannopyranoside, methyl ß-D-mannopyrannosideand dextran did not affect adherence of any of the non-mucoidstrains. Mannose inhibited adherence by one mucoid strain, butnot the other, indicating differences between strains of thesame phenotype. Since prior treatment of epithelial cells withconcanavalin A did not affect acemannan-induced inhibition ofbacterial adherence, we concluded that the inhibitory effectof acemannan probably does not involve mannose-containing receptors. bacterial-host interactions lung epithelium mucoid strains non-mucoid strains