Haemagglutination and tissue culture adhesion of Gardnerella vaginalis

Six strains of Gardnerella vaginalis were studied to examine the adhesin-receptor mechanism involved in their attachment to human red blood cells and an epithelial tissue culture cell line (McCoy). The adhesins involved in the attachment of the bacteria to each of these cells were proteinaceous but showed marked differences after various chemical or physical treatments, indicating that separate adhesins were present. Haemagglutinating strains were more hydrophobic than tissue-culture-adherent strains. Haemagglutination of human red blood cells by strains of G. vaginalis was inhibited by galactose, lactose, N-acetylneuraminic acid and phosphatidylserine. In contrast, the tissue-culture adherence of strains was not inhibited by these substances.