Abstract
Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein (THP) contains manno-oligosaccharides that are recognized by type 1 fimbriae (F1) of Escherichia coli. In the present study, we examined the in vivo phagocytic activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages after treatment of bacteria with THP. At low THP concentrations (12.5 microg/ml and 50 microg/ml) no significant difference was observed in the phagocytosis of E. coli F1+. However, at high THP concentrations (500 microg/ml and 1250 microg/ml) we obtained a reduction of bacterial phagocytosis by mouse peritoneal macrophages.
Highlights
Several members of the Enterobacteriaceae family, including some strains of Escherichia coli, have numerous filamentous fimbrial structures on their surface [1]
Type 1 fimbriated E. coli bound to immobilized Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP) on nitrocellulose membranes. This binding was observed after multiplication of E. coli around the 94-kDa THP band on EMB agar plates
Some strains of E. coli isolated from patients with lower urinary tract infections express type 1 fimbriae [2]
Summary
Several members of the Enterobacteriaceae family, including some strains of Escherichia coli, have numerous filamentous fimbrial structures on their surface [1]. Some strains of type 1 fimbriated E. coli adhere to uroepithelial cells and may cause lower urinary tract infections (cystitis) [2], but their relationship with upper urinary tract infections (pyelonephritis) is still not clear. These fimbriae facilitate the attachment of bacteria to mannose-containing receptors on a variety of host cells, as well as to a urinary tract glycoprotein known as Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP) [3,4,5]. The attachment of type 1 fimbriated E. coli to THP suggests a protective role of THP in the defense against urinary tract colonization and infection by this strain of E. coli [3,5]. Type 1 fimbriae can bind to mannose-containing receptors on the membranes of PMNL and mouse peritoneal macrophages [9]
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Schedule a callMore From: Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas
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