Open AccessA comparative analysis of the attachment of L eptospira interrogans and L . borgpetersenii to mammalian cells
Author(s) -
Andrade Gabrielle I.,
Brown Paul D.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2012.00953.x
Subject(s) - leptospira , leptospira interrogans , serotype , agglutinin , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , concanavalin a , neuraminidase , lectin , biochemistry , enzyme , in vitro
Leptospirosis, the world's most ubiquitous zoonosis, is caused by pathogenic L eptospira . As microbe–host interactions are specific in pathogenesis, it is likely that there are several molecules mediating the attachment of the L eptospira to mammalian cells. In this study, we analysed the attachment of L eptospira interrogans serovar P ortlandvere and L eptospira borgpetersenii serovar J ules to untreated HE p‐2 cells or HE p‐2 cells treated with the various enzymes, lectins or sugars and to integrins α V β3 and α5β1, relative to control wells. We found that both serovars bound equally well to HE p‐2 cells; however, serovar Jules showed a higher level of attachment to integrins. Both serovars showed an increase in attachment to HE p‐2 cells coated with lectins peanut agglutinin, U lex europaeus agglutinin, soybean agglutinin and E rythrina cristagalli agglutinin (p < 0.05); in the case of Concanavalin A , J ules showed an increase, while P ortlandvere showed a significant decrease in attachment. Trypsinizing monolayers resulted in a decrease in attachment for both serovars, while when chondroitinase, neuraminidase and heparinase were used an increase in attachment was recorded. Leptospires coated with sugars showed a decrease in attachment. These results show that serovar J ules' general greater affinity for the mediators examined may suggest a greater potential for virulence over serovar P ortlandvere.