Evidence for lectin-mediated adherence ofMoraxella catarrahlis

Abstract

Clinical isolates of Moraxella catarrhalis (n = 86) were evaluated for their haemagglutinating activity with different types of erythrocytes. Of all the isolates tested, 12 did not agglutinate with any of the erythrocytes, whereas 65 reacted with human erythrocytes of type A, B, and 0, and 26 with erythrocytes from rabbit, guinea pig, dog, or rat. None of the isolates agglutinated with sheep and goat erythrocytes. The agglutination titres ranged from 0 to 64. Among these isolates, 13 different agglutination patterns could be distinguished. The agglutinating activity was Ca(2+)-dependent and was inhibited by proteases, by temperatures exceeding 50 degrees C and by the addition of D-glucosamine or D-galactosamine. The adherence capacity of the M. catarrhalis isolates to tracheal epithelium correlated with their agglutination titre and could be inhibited by the same treatments. These data provide strong evidence that adherence of M. catarrhalis is mediated by lectins located on the bacterial surface.

AhagMutant ofMoraxella catarrhalisStrain O35E Is Deficient in Hemagglutination, Autoagglutination, and Immunoglobulin D-Binding Activities

“…The ability of some M. catarrhalis strains to hemagglutinate different types of erythrocytes was also described by Wistreich and Baker (64) and was studied in some detail by several other laboratories (4,36,52). Some of these early workers differed on whether hemagglutination ability could be correlated with fimbriation (4,52) or with the ability to attach to eukaryotic cells (36,52). The more recent studies of Scott and coworkers (16)(17)(18)46) showed that the hemagglutination ability of different strains of M. catarrhalis was associated with the expression of a 200-kDa protein which was present on the bacterial cell surface.…”

“…The ability of some M. catarrhalis strains to hemagglutinate different types of erythrocytes was also described by Wistreich and Baker (64) and was studied in some detail by several other laboratories (4,36,52). Some of these early workers differed on whether hemagglutination ability could be correlated with fimbriation (4,52) or with the ability to attach to eukaryotic cells (36,52).…”

Transmission electron microscopy studies ofMoraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis

“…catarrhalis had previously been shown to render the bacterial cells non-haemagglutinating [21,22]. Thus, the removal of the outer fibrillar layer following trypsin treatment provides further evidence of its role in haemagglutination by M. catarrhalis.…”

“…Bacterial suspensions of three haemagglutinating isolates (K29, K48 and S407) and one non-haemagglutinating isolate (21) were examined by TEM. The suspensions consisting of 1.5 X log cfu ml-' (equivalent to a MacFarland No.…”

“…It has been found that M. caturrhulis adheres to human oropharyngeal cells and to erythrocytes. Studies have established that the haemagglutinin is a trypsin-sensitive protein [21,22] and is associated with tracheal cell adherence [21]. Two phenotypes of the haemagglutinin have been identified, phenotype I isolates agglutinate human erythrocytes only, while phenotype II isolates agglutinate both human and rabbit erythrocytes [22].…”