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Invasion and intracellular survival of Burkholderia cepacia

D W Martin1, C D Mohr

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina 27834, USA.

Infection and Immunity
|December 22, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Burkholderia cepacia clinical strains can invade and replicate inside human cells, aiding immune evasion. Environmental strains lack this intracellular survival ability, crucial for persistent infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pathogenesis
  • Immunology

Background:

  • * Burkholderia cepacia is a significant pulmonary pathogen, particularly in immunocompromised individuals and cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.
  • * The mechanisms of B. cepacia virulence, including cellular invasion and immune evasion, are not well understood.
  • * Persistent and invasive infections suggest B. cepacia possesses strategies for host cell interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate the invasion and intracellular survival capabilities of a clinical B. cepacia isolate (J2315) in human cell cultures.
  • * To compare these capabilities with an environmental B. cepacia isolate (J2540).
  • * To determine the role of intracellular survival in B. cepacia pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • * Cultured human cell lines (U937 macrophages, A549 epithelial cells) were used for invasion and intracellular growth assays.
  • * Quantitative assays measured bacterial entry and replication.
  • * Transmission electron microscopy visualized intracellular bacteria within macrophages.

Main Results:

  • * B. cepacia J2315 (clinical strain) successfully invaded, survived, and replicated within macrophages and epithelial cells.
  • * Intracellular J2315 bacteria were observed within membrane-bound vacuoles.
  • * B. cepacia J2540 (environmental strain) invaded macrophages similarly to the clinical strain but was less invasive in epithelial cells.
  • * Unlike the clinical strain, the environmental isolate failed to survive or replicate intracellularly.

Conclusions:

  • * Intracellular invasion and survival are key characteristics of the virulent clinical B. cepacia strain J2315.
  • * These intracellular mechanisms likely contribute to B. cepacia's ability to evade the host immune response.
  • * Intracellular survival may be essential for causing persistent infections in cystic fibrosis patients.

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