Staphylococcus aureus adherence to nasal epithelial cells in a physiological in vitro model

Summary Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus represents a risk factor for subsequent invasive infections and interpatient transmission of strains. No physiological in vitro model of nasal epithelial cells is available to study both patient- and bacteria-related characteristics and their interaction, leading to adherence and colonization. Starting with tissues from human nasal polyps, a confluent, squamous, nonkeratinized epithelium in collagen-coated 96-well microtiter plates was obtained after 14 d. This in vitro cell-layer was characterized histologically, ultrastructurally, and immunohistochemically and showed features that were indistinguishable from those observed in the squamous nonkeratinized epithelium found in the posterior part of the vestibulum nasi. Adherence experiments were performed with four different ³H-thymidine-labeled Staphylococcus aureus strains. The effect of bacterial inoculum size, temperature of incubation, and incubation medium were studied. The adherence results were found to be reproducible, reliable and sensitive, allowing detection of small quantitative differences in adherence between the Staphylococcus aureus strains. There was no significant difference in adherence at 23° C and 37° C, nor between the incubation medium M199 and phosphate-buffered saline. Plastic adherence could be reduced and standardized with use of siliconized tips and a constant bacterial inoculum volume of 100 μl/well. This physiological and reliable in vitro cell-culture model offers a unique opportunity to study Staphylococcus aureus adherence to squamous, nonkeratinized nasal epithelial cells and both patient and bacterial characteristics involved in this interaction.     

双歧杆菌的粘附特性及其对肠道致病菌的体外拮抗作用

本文采用体外细胞培养法, 从实验室现有的20株不同生境来源的双歧杆菌中筛选具有较强粘附能力的菌株, 并通过混合培养和牛津杯方法, 研究了具有粘附特性的双歧杆菌对肠道致病菌的体外拮抗作用。结果显示, 长寿老人源菌株A03和I06的粘附能力最强, 其菌液对金黄色葡萄球菌及大肠杆菌均具有显著的抑制性, 但是菌体及中和后的发酵液均没有抑菌性, 说明受试菌主要通过其代谢产物中的有机酸来发挥其抑菌性能; 此外, 通过分析比较受试菌和肠道致病菌分别与Caco-2细胞粘附后释放的乳酸脱氢酶量, 证实双歧杆菌与致病菌对细胞的作用具有本质上的区别, 双歧杆菌的粘附能减缓致病菌对细胞所造成的损害。     

Cell wall-associated protein A as a tool for immunolocalization of Staphylococcus aureus in infected human airway epithelium.

Staphylococcus aureus is a common human pathogen involved in non-bronchial diseases and in genetic and acquired bronchial diseases. In this study, we applied an immunolabeling approach for in vivo and in vitro detection of S. aureus, based on the affinity of staphylococcal protein A (SpA) for the Fc region of immunoglobulins, especially IgG. Most strains of S. aureus, including clinical strains, can be detected with this labeling technique. The approach can be used for detection and localization with transmission electron microscopy or light-fluorescence microscopy of S. aureus in infected tissues such as human bronchial tissue from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The methodology can also be applied to cell culture models with the aim of characterizing bacterial adherence to epithelial cells in backscattered electron imaging with scanning electron microscopy. Application to the study of S. aureus adherence to airway epithelium showed that the bacteria did not adhere in vivo to intact airway epithelium. In contrast, bacteria adhered to the basolateral plasma membrane of columnar cells, to basal cells, to the basement membrane and were identified beneath the lamina propria when the epithelium was injured and remodeled, or in vitro when the epithelial cells were dedifferentiated.     

Adherence of Staphylococcus aureus is enhanced by an endogenous secreted protein with broad binding activity

A novel mechanism for enhancement of adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to host components is described. A secreted protein, Eap (extracellular adherence protein), was purified from the supernatant of S. aureus Newman and found to be able to bind to at least seven plasma proteins, e.g., fibronectin, the alpha-chain of fibrinogen, and prothrombin, and to the surface of S. aureus. Eap bound much less to cells of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mutans, or Escherichia coli. The protein can form oligomeric forms and is able to cause agglutination of S. aureus. Binding of S. aureus to fibroblasts and epithelial cells was significantly enhanced by addition of Eap, presumably due to its affinity both for plasma proteins on the cells and for the bacteria.     

Staphylococcal adherence to rabbit epithelial cells

The adherence of Staphylococcus aureus strains to rabbit epithelial cells has been studied. The strains have been shown to possess similar adhesiveness with respect to the epithelium of the mouth cavity of rabbits. The investigation, carried out with the use of one staphylococcal strain taken as a model, has revealed that the cells of this strain adhere to different areas of the epithelium in the mouth cavity in varying amounts, the amount of adhering bacteria depending on the age of rabbits. The data presented in this work suggest that in staphylococci adhering to rabbit epithelial cells the adhesive function is performed by thermostable and trypsin-resistant staphylococcal cell-wall surface structures of nonprotein nature.     

Reduced adherence of micro-organisms to human mucosal epithelial cells following treatment with Taurolin, a novel antimicrobial agent

Taurolin, a non-antibiotic antimicrobial agent, significantly reduced the adherence of buccal and vaginal strains of Candida albicans blastospores and urine isolates of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus saprophyticus to epithelial cells. Light microscopy and radio-isotopic counting methods were used to quantify the adherence of the micro-organisms to either uroepithelial or buccal epithelial cells. A maximum reduction in adherence of approximately 65% was obtained. The anti-adherence capacity was time-dependent, requiring a contact time of 30 min to achieve maximum effect. Taurolin at sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) significantly reduced the adherence of Candida and E. coli. A concentration slightly higher than the MIC was required for Staph. saprophyticus. Treatment of either epithelial cells or micro-organisms with Taurolin resulted in reduced adherence of microorganisms.     

Reduced adherence of micro-organisms to human mucosal epithelial cells following treatment with Taurolin, a novel antimicrobial agent

Taurolin, a non-antibiotic antimicrobial agent, significantly reduced the adherence of buccal and vaginal strains of Candida albicans blastospores and urine isolates of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus saprophyticus to epithelial cells. Light microscopy and radio-isotopic counting methods were used to quantify the adherence of the micro-organisms to either uroepithelial or buccal epithelial cells. A maximum reduction in adherence of approximately 65% was obtained. The anti-adherence capacity was time-dependent, requiring a contact time of 30 min to achieve maximum effect. Taurolin at sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) significantly reduced the adherence of Candida and E. coli. A concentration slightly higher than the MIC was required for Staph. saprophyticus. Treatment of either epithelial cells or micro-organisms with Taurolin resulted in reduced adherence of microorganisms.     

The effect of acquired resistance to mercury on the phage sensitivity pattern of Staphylococcus aureus and its adherence to buccal epithelial cells

Abstract The study on the effect of acquired resistance to mercury on the phage sensitivity pattern of Staphylococcus aureus and its adherence to buccal epithelial cells showed increased lag period in growth and inverse relationship between the mercury resistance and cell wall teichoic acid, protein A and binding of cells to normal humal buccal cells. The phage pattern was found to change with the development of mercury resistance.     

Adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to cell monolayers

W yatt , J.E., P oston , S.M. & N oble , W.C. 1990. Adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to cell monolayers. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 69 , 834–844.
Adherence of four strains of Staphylococcus aureus to eukaryotic cell monolayers was assayed with [³H]-thymidine labelled bacterial cells and the results were analysed by non-parametric statistical tests. Adherence to primary (human mesothelial) and semi-continuous (human embryonic lung) cell monolayers was significantly better than to continuous cell lines (HEp2, HeLa and Vero). HEp2 cell monolayers provided the most reliable assay substrate of the continuous cell lines tested. Variation occurred between bacterial culture batches but the assay measured significant differences between adhesion levels of the strains and distinguished between high level (RN92, 8325–4) and low level (Wood46, ISP458) adhering strains. Adherence to different batches of cell monolayers also varied but relative adherence values for strains were similar and the ranking of strains according to adhesion values -was unchanged.
Potential adhesion mediators have been monitored for their effect on adhesion of a highly adherent strain (RN92) to HEp2 monolayers. Fibronectin, protein A and anti-protein A did not significantly affect adhesion. Lipoteichoic acid caused a significant inhibition of adhesion. With critical statistical analysis to accommodate inherent variations, this assay provides a useful model to study factors involved in adherence of Staph. aureus to eukaryotic cells.     

Staphylococcus aureus adherence to influenza A virus-infected and control cell cultures: evidence for multiple adhesins

During major epidemics with influenza, there is an increased number of pneumonias due to Staphylococcus aureus with a subsequent high mortality rate. We have postulated that influenza A virus infection of host cells promotes the adherence of S. aureus ultimately resulting in bacterial superinfection. In the present study we compared the adherence of seven strains of 3H-labeled S. aureus to Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell monolayers, uninfected and infected with influenza A/FM/1/47 virus. Test strains included: Cowan I; a Cowan I protein A-deficient mutant (PA-); EMS, a protein A and clumping factor-deficient mutant; HSmR; 52A5, a teichoic acid-deficient mutant of HSmR; M, an encapsulated strain; and, No. 1071, a clinical isolate. By radioassay, six of the seven strains demonstrated significantly enhanced adherence to virus-infected cell monolayers compared to uninfected controls; only the M strain was adherence negative. Surface hydrophobicity of the staphylococci did not correlate with their ability to adhere. Four strains of labeled staphylococci (Cowan I, PA-, EMS, and No. 1071), untreated or treated with 2.5% trypsin, 1.25% protease, or by autoclaving, were tested in the radioassay. Protease treatment, which was more effective than trypsin treatment, reduced adherence of all four test strains by 74-96%. Results of heat treatment suggested the presence of both thermolabile and thermostable adhesins. Staphylococcal thermal extracts, profiled by anion-exchange HPLC, were used to pretreat monolayers in a blocking radioassay. Adherence was decreased to control cells (9-78%) and to virus-infected cells (56-90%). The data suggest that multiple distinct surface proteins mediate the binding of S. aureus to uninfected and influenza A virus-infected cells.     

Staphylococcus aureus clumping factor B (ClfB) promotes adherence to human type I cytokeratin 10: implications for nasal colonization

Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of sepsis in both community and hospital settings, a major risk factor for which is nasal carriage of the bacterium. Eradication of carriage by topical antibiotics reduces sepsis rates in high-risk individuals, an important strategy for the reduction of nosocomial infection in targeted patient populations. Understanding the mechanisms by which S. aureus adheres to nasal epithelial cells in vivo may lead to alternative methods of decolonization that do not rely on sustained antimicrobial susceptibility. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that the S. aureus surface-expressed protein, clumping factor B (ClfB), promotes adherence to immobilized epidermal cytokeratins in vitro . By expressing a range of S. aureus adhesins on the surface of the heterologous host Lactococcus lactis , we demonstrated that adherence to epidermal cytokeratins was conferred by ClfB. Adherence of wild-type S. aureus was inhibited by recombinant ClfB protein or anti-ClfB antibodies, and S. aureus mutants defective in ClfB adhered poorly to epidermal cytokeratins. Expression of ClfB promoted adherence of L. lactis to human desquamated nasal epithelial cells, and a mutant of S. aureus defective in ClfB had reduced adherence compared with wild type. ClfB also promoted adherence of L. lactis cells to a human keratinocyte cell line. Cytokeratin 10 molecules were shown by flow cytometry to be exposed on the surface of both desquamated nasal epithelial cells and keratinocytes. Cytokeratin 10 was also detected on the surface of desquamated human nasal cells using immunofluorescence, and recombinant ClfB protein was shown to bind to cytokeratin K10 extracted from these cells. We also showed that ClfB is transcribed by S. aureus in the human nares. We propose that ClfB is a major determinant in S. aureus nasal colonization.     

Ability of Staphylococcus cohnii strains to adhere to epithelial cells and solid surfaces in the hospital environment

Presented study describes abilities of staphylococci to adhere to exfoliated cheek and uroepithelial epithelium cells and to various surfaces such as plastics, glass and steel. The subject of the study were strains of Staphylococcus cohnii ssp. cohnii and Staphylococcus cohnii ssp. urealyticus isolated from Intensive Care Unit of Pediatric Hospital. Staphylococcus cohnii ssp.cohnii adhered in great number to epithelial cells. However, the adhesion differed by individual strains. We did not find relationship between slime production and adherence to epithelial cell. Most of investigated strains adhered closely to surfaces--especially of plastics and glass. This phenomenon was stronger in the presence of culture medium and phosphate buffer.     

Adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to cell monolayers

Adherence of four strains of Staphylococcus aureus to eukaryotic cell monolayers was assayed with [3H]-thymidine labelled bacterial cells and the results were analysed by non-parametric statistical tests. Adherence to primary (human mesothelial) and semi-continuous (human embryonic lung) cell monolayers was significantly better than to continuous cell lines (HEp2, HeLa and Vero). HEp2 cell monolayers provided the most reliable assay substrate of the continuous cell lines tested. Variation occurred between bacterial culture batches but the assay measured significant differences between adhesion levels of the strains and distinguished between high level (RN92, 8325-4) and low level (Wood46, ISP458) adhering strains. Adherence to different batches of cell monolayers also varied but relative adherence values for strains were similar and the ranking of strains according to adhesion values was unchanged. Potential adhesion mediators have been monitored for their effect on adhesion of a highly adherent strain (RN92) to HEp2 monolayers. Fibronectin, protein A and anti-protein A did not significantly affect adhesion. Lipoteichoic acid caused a significant inhibition of adhesion. With critical statistical analysis to accommodate inherent variations, this assay provides a useful model to study factors involved in adherence of Staph. aureus to eukaryotic cells.     

Detection of fibronectin-binding protein genes in staphylococcal strains from peri-prosthesis infections.

Several studies have been devoted to identify the adhesion mechanisms of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, which are the most frequent causes of prosthesis-associated infections. Recently, in particular for Staphylococcus aureus, considerable attention has been given to the host protein receptors as mediators for bacterial adherence. Fibronectin, in important matrix protein, seems to be a major ligand for bacterial adherence in the early stages of infection. To determine the importance of the fibronectin adhesin as virulence factor in Staphylococcus-induced prosthesis infection, a simple and reliable method using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was devised to identify fibronectin adhesin genes (fnbA and fnbB). Results obtained by this method were in accordance with those obtained by the in vitro phenotypic characterization of binding ability to fibronectin of Staphylococcus strains.     

Slime production by Staphylococci isolated from prosthesis-associated infections.

Clinical isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis are frequently referred to produce a biofilm, known as slime, involved in adherence to medical devices and in resistance to host defences. A high frequency of slime producing Staphylococcus aureus strains was never reported, at least in the case of human isolates. In the present study the production of slime by clinical isolates of S. aureus and S. epidermidis from catheter associated infections and from post-surgical infections was studied by a sensitive method based on culturing the isolates on Congo red agar. The study demonstrates that in nosocomial surgical infections, considered separately from catheter-associated infections, S. aureus emerges as a more prevalent etiologic agent than S. epidermidis, with a proportion of slime producing strains markedly high.     

2009—2012年金黄色葡萄球菌血液分离株的临床分布和耐药性研究

目的调查和分析金黄色葡萄球菌败血症患者的临床特点和菌株的耐药情况,为临床诊断和合理用药提供参考。方法收集并分析2009年至2012年血培养确诊为金黄色葡萄球菌败血症患者的临床及菌株资料。结果2009年至2012年金黄色葡萄球菌血液分离株共80株,其中甲氧西林耐药金黄色葡萄球菌（methieillin resistant Staphylococcus,MRSA）占50％。2009年至2011年对甲氧西林的耐药率逐年提高,2012年呈下降趋势。其中MRSA血流感染患者多为合并基础疾病的老年人,留置静脉导管及体腔引流管、气管插管、联合使用抗生素、住院时间长为易感因素。结论金黄色葡萄球菌血液分离株中,MRSA检出率高,占50％,临床表现大多较重,合并多种基础疾病。加强抗生素的管理及重视和预防院内感染后能明显降低MRSA的检出率。     

Alpha-toxin interferes with integrin-mediated adhesion and internalization of Staphylococcus aureus by epithelial cells

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human and animal pathogen. During infection, this bacterium is able to attach to and enter host cells by using its cell surface-associated factors to bind to the host's extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. In this study, we determined that a protein exported by S. aureus, alpha-toxin, can interfere with the integrin-mediated adhesion and internalization of S. aureus by human lung epithelial cells (A549). The downregulation of alpha-toxin production significantly increased bacterial adhesion and invasion into the epithelial cells. In contrast, bacterial adhesion and invasion was inhibited by both overproduction of alpha-toxin and the addition of alpha-toxin to the culture medium. Moreover, our results showed that the quantitative effects on invasion closely parallel those of adherence. This suggests that the effect on invasion is probably secondary to, and a consequence of, the reduced adherence caused by alpha-toxin exposure. Specifically, we demonstrated that alpha-toxin interacts with the hosts' ECM protein's receptor, beta1-integrin, which indicates that beta1-integrin may be a potential receptor of alpha-toxin on epithelial cells. Taken together, our results indicate that exported alpha-toxin inhibits the adhesion and internalization of S. aureus by interfering with integrin-mediated pathogen-host cell interactions.     

乳杆菌抑制金黄色葡萄球菌对HeLa细胞的粘附

对弯曲乳杆菌Lactobacillus crispatus T79-3和T90-1、詹氏乳杆菌Lactobacillus jensenii T118-3和T231-1四株乳杆菌对金黄色葡萄球菌生长的抑制效果以及抑菌成分进行了分析,比较乳杆菌排除、竞争、置换3种不同作用方式对金黄色葡萄球菌粘附HeLa细胞的抑制作用。结果表明4株乳杆菌皆能抑制金黄色葡萄球菌的生长及其粘附HeLa细胞的能力,分析发现4株乳杆菌发挥抑制作用的主要成分是有机酸,同时比较分析乳杆菌3种不同作用方式发现它们对金黄色葡萄球菌粘附HeLa细胞的抑制效果不同,其中,排除作用方式效果最好。另外,乳杆菌对金黄色葡萄球菌粘附HeLa细胞的抑制作用具有浓度依赖性,随着乳杆菌浓度增大,抑制作用增强并逐渐达到饱和。4株乳杆菌中,T79-3粘附能力最强,对金黄色葡萄球菌的抑制作用最强,排除作用方式抑制金黄色葡萄球菌粘附HeLa细胞作用效果较好,提示乳杆菌T79-3有可能作为益生菌防治妇女泌尿生殖道感染。     

Adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus to Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells Induced by Growth in Milk Whey

Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from bovine intramammary infection (mastitis) were tested for adhesion to bovine mammary epithelial cells after growth in milk whey or TSB. Bacteria grown in milk whey adhered more efficiently to mammary gland epithelial cells in vitro than the corresponding homologous bacteria grown in TSB. Trypsin treatment of milk whey-grown S. aureus had no effect on their adherence. Whereas, pretreatment with periodate significantly decreased bacterial adherence capacity. Periodate treatment of TSB-grown bacteria had no effect on adhesion to the mammary gland epithelial cells.     

Transferability of antibiotic resistance determinants in strains of Staphylococcus aureus belonging to different phage groups

A total of 107 donor strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical material, with a high incidence of multiresistant strains belonging predominantly to phage group III, were tested for transmission of determinants of resistance to 6 antibiotics using mixed cultures of donor strains and the recipient Staphylococcus aureus strain 5849-fur-r, rif-r. The capability of strains to transfer resistance markers to the recipient was found to depend neither on phage group nor phage type to which the donor strain belonged, but strains possessing multiple resistance to antibiotics effectuated transfers at comparatively higher frequencies.