Human urinary tract infection is an infectious disease that depends on a series of host-microbial interactions. The bacteria first colonize the colon and then the periurethral/vaginal areas; they ascend to and infect first the bladder and then the kidneys. Expression of Escherichia coli P-fimbriae constitutes the strongest correlation to renal pathogenicity, but is also related to first-time cystitis in children. The role of P-fimbriae in the preceding steps in the infectious process is unknown. To examine this, we constructed, from a P-fimbriated E. coli strain with a class II G-adhesin preferentially binding to globoside, one isogenic mutant lacking the G-adhesin and another isogenic mutant in which we replaced the papG class II allele with a class III adhesin preferentially binding to the Forssman antigen. We report here the comparison of the adhesin knockout mutant (DS17-8) and the class-switch mutant (DS17-1) with the wild-type (DS17) for in vivo colonization of the gut, vagina, and bladder of cynomolgus monkeys. It was recently shown that the class II tip G-adhesin is a prerequisite for acute pyelonephritis to occur in the monkey model in the absence of other kidney-specific adhesins or obstruction of the urinary flow. Here we show that it is not required for bladder infection but gives a competitive advantage in mixed infections. In the vagina and colon, the G-adhesin gives no competitive advantage.
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1 December 1995
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December 01 1995
The PapG-adhesin at the tip of P-fimbriae provides Escherichia coli with a competitive edge in experimental bladder infections of cynomolgus monkeys.
J Winberg,
J Winberg
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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R Möllby,
R Möllby
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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J Bergström,
J Bergström
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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K A Karlsson,
K A Karlsson
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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I Leonardsson,
I Leonardsson
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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M A Milh,
M A Milh
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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S Teneberg,
S Teneberg
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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D Haslam,
D Haslam
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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B I Marklund,
B I Marklund
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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S Normark
S Normark
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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J Winberg
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
R Möllby
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
J Bergström
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
K A Karlsson
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
I Leonardsson
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
M A Milh
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
S Teneberg
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
D Haslam
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
B I Marklund
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
S Normark
Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Online ISSN: 1540-9538
Print ISSN: 0022-1007
J Exp Med (1995) 182 (6): 1695–1702.
Citation
J Winberg, R Möllby, J Bergström, K A Karlsson, I Leonardsson, M A Milh, S Teneberg, D Haslam, B I Marklund, S Normark; The PapG-adhesin at the tip of P-fimbriae provides Escherichia coli with a competitive edge in experimental bladder infections of cynomolgus monkeys.. J Exp Med 1 December 1995; 182 (6): 1695–1702. doi: https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.182.6.1695
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