Chanthiwa Wikraiphat. Possible role of capsule lipopolysaccharide and flagella in burkholderia pseudomallei pathogenicity using phagocytic and nonphagocytic cells. Doctoral Degree(Microbiology). Mahidol University. Mahidol University Library and Knowledge Center. : Mahidol University, 2009.
Possible role of capsule lipopolysaccharide and flagella in burkholderia pseudomallei pathogenicity using phagocytic and nonphagocytic cells
Abstract:
Burkholderia pseudomallei is one of the most serious invasive bacteria which is a
causative agent of melioidosis. The bacteria can remain latent in the body for a long period
and also possess the mechanisms to survive inside the cell and evade immune response of the
host. Some virulence determinants of B. pseudomallei have been identified, but the
mechanisms in pathogenesis of melioidosis have not been fully elucidated.
This study aimed to determine the possible involvement of capsular polysaccharide,
lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and flagella of B. pseudomallei as virulence factors involved in the
pathogenesis of melioidosis using an in vitro cell-free system, human lung epithelial cell line
(A549), mouse macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) and primary human polymorphonuclear
cells (PMNs) as models. B. pseudomallei deficient in capsule, LPS, and flagella were tested
for susceptibility to different antimicrobial compounds. The wild type and all mutants were
resistant to killing by α-defensin (HNP-2). Only the LPS mutant was susceptible to killing by
incubating it with 30% normal human serum (NHS). All strains were killed by nitric oxide
(NO)-generating compounds and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) but the levels of susceptibility
were quite different. The LPS and flagellin mutants were slightly more resistant to reactive
nitrogen intermediate (RNI)-killing than the wild type, but the LPS mutant was more sensitive
to reactive oxygen species (ROS) killing. All bacterial strains were also assessed for
adherence, invasion and survival in A549, RAW 264.7 and PMNs using different
multiplicities of infection (MOI) and time intervals. The adherence and invasion into A549 of
the LPS and flagellin mutants, but not the capsule mutant, were significantly lower than the
wild type. The adherence and invasion of the flagellin mutant could be increased by
centrifugation. The wild type of B. pseudomallei and all mutants were able to survive and
multiply inside A549 and RAW 264.7 cells but all of them were killed by PMNs. LPS and
flagellin mutants also induced lower degrees of multinucleated giant cell (MNGC) formation
and IL-8 production compared to the wild type, but these degrees were not different from the
wild type and capsule mutant after increasing the MOI of LPS and flagelin mutants. The LPS
mutant, compared to the other strains, was able to induce IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12
expression by RAW 264.7, but its ability to induce TNF-α and IL-8 productions by PMNs
were lower. All strains were able to induce ROS response by PMNs. Inhibiting NADPH
oxidase enhanced survival of all B. pseudomallei strains indicating that oxidative killing
activity of NADPH oxidase by PMNs is effective against B. pseudomallei. Data from this
study provided additional information about some virulence determinants of B. pseudomallei
that are probably involved in the pathogenesis of melioidosis.