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Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Automated, High-Throughput Detection of Bacterial Adherence to Host Cells
Published on: September 17, 2021
Patterns of adherence to HEp-2 cells and actin polymerisation by toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains
Raphael Hirata1, Sonia M S Souza, Cláudio M Rocha-de-Souza
1Disciplina de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, 3 degrees andar. Vila Isabel, Av. 28 de Setembro, 87 Fundos, CEP 20 551-030, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. guaraldi@uerj.br
Abstract:
Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains displayed different degrees of attachment to HEp-2 cell monolayers with two distinct adherence patterns, termed localised (LA) and diffuse (DA). The LA phenotype predominated over the DA phenotype. The non-sucrose fermenting strains expressing DA pattern adhered mostly with high index values (> or =10bact/cell). Low adhesion index (<10bact/cell) was mainly observed among sucrose fermenting strains. The fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled phalloidin assay (fluorescent-actin staining test) showed positive results for microorganisms of both LA and DA phenotypes. The FITC-labelled C. diphtheriae non-fimbrial surface proteins 67-72p interacted directly with HEp-2 cell membranes. Therefore, toxigenic C. diphtheriae exhibited LA and DA adherence patterns and ability to induce actin polymerisation. The experimental evidences also pointed to 67-72p as putative adhesins of C. diphtheriae to HEp-2 cells.
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