Influence of the spermicidal compound nonoxynol-9 on the adhesion of E. coli to human epithelial cells

Abstract

Two type I piliated strains of Escherichia coli were cultured in medium supplemented with physiologically used concentrations of the spermicidal compound nonoxynol-9. Their ability to adhere to HeLa cells in tissue culture was found to increase significantly (p<0.05). For strain 12313, there was a 2.3- and 1.9-fold increase when cultured in 5% and 12.5% (w/v) nonoxynol-9 respectively, and adhesion of strain 12269 increased by 1.7 times after growth in 12.5% (w/v) nonoxynol-9. The increased adhesion was accompanied by loss of mannose-sensitive yeast agglutination and hemagglutination. The absence of type I piliation was confirmed by electron miscroscopy and was accompanied by a decrease in cell surface hydrophobicity. The ability of E. coli to grow in high concentrations of nonoxynol-9, combined with increased adhesion to human epithelial cells in vitro, may contribute to the increased incidence of E. coli urinary tract infection seen in women using diaphragms and spermicidal preparations for contraception.