Open AccessCharacteristics of invasion of HEp-2 cells by Providencia alcalifaciens
Author(s) -
M. John Albert,
M. Ansaruzzaman,
N. A. Bhuiyan,
P. K. B. Neogi,
Abu Syed Golam Faruque
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of medical microbiology/journal of medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1473-5644
pISSN - 0022-2615
DOI - 10.1099/00222615-42-3-186
Subject(s) - endocytosis , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , cell , actin , microfilament , gentamicin protection assay , chemistry , biochemistry , cytoskeleton , western blot , gene
Previous studies with three isolates from diarrhoeal stools suggested that Providencia alcalifaciens is an invasive enteric pathogen that also causes actin condensation in infected cells. These findings were extended in the present study with a further 14 diarrhoeal stool isolates of P. alcalifaciens and HEp-2 cell monolayers for invasion assays. Studies on invasion characteristics with two selected isolates suggested that P. alcalifaciens required prior growth at 37 degrees C for better invasion. Invasion and actin condensation were inhibited by an agent that inhibits microfilament formation, but not by agents that inhibit receptor-mediated endocytosis, microtubule formation, endosome acidification or receptor recycling. In time-course assays with HEp-2 cell monolayers maintained in medium containing gentamicin, P. alcalifaciens showed a small degree of multiplication after invasion of the cells, but viable bacteria could not be recovered over a 24-h period although the integrity of the cell monolayer was preserved during this period.