Cell and Tissue Attachment and Invasion of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Phenotypic Colony Variants.

摘要

A feasibility study to determine if Langmuir isotherm analysis could be used to study the attachment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to human tissue culture cells was completed. Requirements for isotherm analysis (equilibrium, reversibility, sub-saturation conditions) were met. The technique demonstrated that gonococcal colony phenotypes differ in their attachment potential for different eukaryotic cell lines. Factors other than pili appeared to function as attachment mediators; these possible attachment mediators remain of unknown composition. Attachment appeared to be very pH dependent attaching best at slightly alkaline conditions. The role of semen and cervical secretions in the attachment process was investigated. Seminal plasma significantly reduced gonococcal attachment to tissue culture cells. Cervical secretions obtained from control women (no history of gonococcal infection) and test women (recent positive cervical culture) behaved differently in effect on gonococcal attachment. Test secretions significantly promoted the attachment of heavily piliated transparent phenotypes, while control secretions significantly blocked the attachment of heavily piliated opaque phenotypes. Scanning electron microscopy of human uterine cervical and fallopian tube tissue explants demonstrated significantly greater attachment of transparent phenotypes to epithelial surfaces.