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Intracellular Survival of Virulent Bordetella pertussis in Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes
Author(s) -
Steed Lisa L.,
Setareh Morey,
Friedman Richard L.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of leukocyte biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.819
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1938-3673
pISSN - 0741-5400
DOI - 10.1002/jlb.50.4.321
Subject(s) - bordetella pertussis , phagocytosis , microbiology and biotechnology , antibody opsonization , biology , virulence , phagosome , pertussis toxin , whooping cough , virology , opsonin , bacteria , g protein , receptor , biochemistry , vaccination , genetics , gene
Little is known regarding the interaction of Bordetella pertussis with polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) or the role PMNL play as an initial line of defense against B. pertussis infection. An in vitro system was developed to establish conditions for the study of phagocytosis and killing of virulent B. pertussis by human PMNL. Phagocytosis of B. pertussis strains BP504, BP165, and BP338 occurred by opsonization with anti‐ B. pertussis antibody, while autologous normal human sera did not induce significant phagocytosis. In PMNL bacterial killing assays virulent B. pertussis strains survived PMNL bactericidal activities while Escherichia coli controls were readily killed. Electron microscopy studies using acid phosphatase as a lysosomal marker strongly suggested that B. pertussis inhibits phagosome‐lysosome fusion in PMNL. These results indicate that virulent B. pertussis strains are capable of surviving intracellularly within PMNL and that such survival may be due to inhibition of phagosome‐lysosome fusion.