Influence of pili, fibrils, and capsule on in vitro adherence by Haemophilus influenzae type b

Haemophilus influenzae type b is an encapsulated bacterium that initiates infection by colonizing the upper respiratory epithelium. In vitro studies indicate that H. influenzae type b is capable of expressing two morphologically distinct filamentous adhesive structures, referred to as pili and fibrils, respectively. In this study, we examined adherence to a variety of human epithelial-cell types and demonstrated that pili and fibrils have separate cellular binding specificities. In addition, we found that capsular material inhibits fibril recognition of the host-cell surface. This inhibitory effect was reduced when bacteria were grown to stationary phase, reflecting diminished encapsulation. However, when growth medium was supplemented with Mg2+, stationary-phase organisms were relatively heavily encapsulated and non-adherent. These observations suggest that encapsulation can be modulated in response to growth phase or environmental signals. It is possible that encapsulation is down-modulated early in the infectious process in order to avoid interfering with colonization. In contrast, encapsulation may be up-modulated between hosts and during bacteremia, where it appears to confer a selective advantage. We speculate that this model may also apply to other encapsulated pathogens.