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Cholesterol-dependent attachment of human respiratory cells by Bordetella pertussis

Yanina Lamberti1, Jimena Alvarez Hayes, Maria L Perez Vidakovics

  • 1CINDEFI (UNLP, CONICET La Plata), School of Science, La Plata University, La Plata, Argentina.

FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology
|April 24, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Bordetella pertussis attaches to respiratory epithelial cells via cholesterol-rich domains. Filamentous hemagglutinin mediates this interaction, crucial for pertussis colonization and vaccine development.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Bordetella pertussis is a re-emerging respiratory pathogen.
  • Understanding bacterial attachment is key to combating pertussis.
  • Host cell receptors for B. pertussis colonization are not fully identified.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of host cell cholesterol in B. pertussis adhesion.
  • To identify specific bacterial factors involved in cholesterol-mediated attachment.

Main Methods:

  • Treatment of A549 epithelial cells with cholesterol-sequestering drugs.
  • Confocal laser microscopy to visualize bacterial association with cholesterol-rich domains.
  • Isolation of detergent-resistant membrane domains from infected cells.

Main Results:

  • Cholesterol-sequestering drugs significantly reduced B. pertussis attachment.
  • B. pertussis was observed within cholesterol-rich membrane domains.
  • Filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) was identified as a key factor mediating attachment to cholesterol.

Conclusions:

  • Cholesterol-rich domains are critical for B. pertussis adhesion to epithelial cells.
  • Filamentous hemagglutinin plays a major role in this cholesterol-dependent interaction.
  • This interaction may contribute to respiratory tract colonization by B. pertussis.

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