Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1988 May;56(5):1051–1056. doi: 10.1128/iai.56.5.1051-1056.1988

Structural and serological relatedness of Haemophilus influenzae type b pili.

J J LiPuma 1, J R Gilsdorf 1
PMCID: PMC259760  PMID: 2895739

Abstract

The structural and serological relatedness of the pilus proteins of several isolates of Haemophilus influenzae type b cultured from patients with invasive disease and from different anatomic sites within the same patient was examined. Epithelial cell-adherent variants of 25 nonadherent parent isolates were obtained by selection for organisms that adhered to human erythrocytes. Outer membrane protein analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of an additional 24- to 24.5-kilodalton protein among all adherent variants but absent from all nonadherent parent isolates. Polyclonal rabbit antiserum against the intact native pilus protein of H. influenzae M43 cross-reacted with 20 of 25 adherent H. influenzae in both immunodot and slide-agglutination assays. No differences in reactivity among isolates cultured from more than one anatomic site in the same patient were noted. Anti-M43 pilus antiserum had bactericidal activity against both the homologous strain and a heterologous strain that demonstrated serologic identity in the immunodot and slide agglutination assays. The adherence of these strains to human epithelial cells in vitro was inhibited by Fab fragments purified from the antipilus antiserum. These data indicate that a remarkable degree of homogeneity in pilin subunit size exists among the pili of H. influenzae type b and that major antigenic determinants are shared among most of these pili. Also, antibodies directed against H. influenzae pilus proteins may be able to contribute to host defenses through serum bactericidal activity and by blocking the adherence of this bacterium to host epithelial cells.

Full text

PDF
1051

Images in this article

1053Image
on p.1053
1054Image
on p.1054

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Allan I., Loeb M. R., Moxon E. R. Limited genetic diversity of Haemophilus influenzae (type b). Microb Pathog. 1987 Feb;2(2):139–145. doi: 10.1016/0882-4010(87)90105-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Anderson P. W., Pichichero M. E., Connor E. M. Enhanced nasopharyngeal colonization of rats by piliated Haemophilus influenzae type b. Infect Immun. 1985 May;48(2):565–568. doi: 10.1128/iai.48.2.565-568.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Barenkamp S. J., Munson R. S., Jr, Granoff D. M. Subtyping isolates of Haemophilus influenzae type b by outer-membrane protein profiles. J Infect Dis. 1981 May;143(5):668–676. doi: 10.1093/infdis/143.5.668. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Beachey E. H. Bacterial adherence: adhesin-receptor interactions mediating the attachment of bacteria to mucosal surface. J Infect Dis. 1981 Mar;143(3):325–345. doi: 10.1093/infdis/143.3.325. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Connor E. M., Loeb M. R. A hemadsorption method for detection of colonies of Haemophilus influenzae type b expressing fimbriae. J Infect Dis. 1983 Nov;148(5):855–860. doi: 10.1093/infdis/148.5.855. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Duckworth M., Jackson D., Zak K., Heckels J. E. Structural variations in pili expressed during gonococcal infection. J Gen Microbiol. 1983 May;129(5):1593–1596. doi: 10.1099/00221287-129-5-1593. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Fairbanks G., Steck T. L., Wallach D. F. Electrophoretic analysis of the major polypeptides of the human erythrocyte membrane. Biochemistry. 1971 Jun 22;10(13):2606–2617. doi: 10.1021/bi00789a030. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gilsdorf J. R., Ferrieri P. Adherence of Haemophilus influenzae to human epithelial cells. Scand J Infect Dis. 1984;16(3):271–278. doi: 10.3109/00365548409070400. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gilsdorf J. R., Ferrieri P. Susceptibility of phenotypic variants of Haemophilus influenzae type b to serum bactericidal activity: relation to surface lipopolysaccharide. J Infect Dis. 1986 Feb;153(2):223–231. doi: 10.1093/infdis/153.2.223. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Guerina N. G., Langermann S., Clegg H. W., Kessler T. W., Goldman D. A., Gilsdorf J. R. Adherence of piliated Haemophilus influenzae type b to human oropharyngeal cells. J Infect Dis. 1982 Oct;146(4):564–564. doi: 10.1093/infdis/146.4.564. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Guerina N. G., Langermann S., Schoolnik G. K., Kessler T. W., Goldmann D. A. Purification and characterization of Haemophilus influenzae pili, and their structural and serological relatedness to Escherichia coli P and mannose-sensitive pili. J Exp Med. 1985 Jan 1;161(1):145–159. doi: 10.1084/jem.161.1.145. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hanley J., Salit I. E., Hofmann T. Immunochemical characterization of P pili from invasive Escherichia coli. Infect Immun. 1985 Sep;49(3):581–586. doi: 10.1128/iai.49.3.581-586.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kimura A., Hansen E. J. Antigenic and phenotypic variations of Haemophilus influenzae type b lipopolysaccharide and their relationship to virulence. Infect Immun. 1986 Jan;51(1):69–79. doi: 10.1128/iai.51.1.69-79.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Klemm P., Orskov I., Orskov F. F7 and type 1-like fimbriae from three Escherichia coli strains isolated from urinary tract infections: protein chemical and immunological aspects. Infect Immun. 1982 May;36(2):462–468. doi: 10.1128/iai.36.2.462-468.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Levine M. M., Black R. E., Brinton C. C., Jr, Clements M. L., Fusco P., Hughes T. P., O'Donnell S., Robins-Browne R., Wood S., Young C. R. Reactogenicity, immunogenicity and efficacy studies of Escherichia coli type 1 somatic pili parenteral vaccine in man. Scand J Infect Dis Suppl. 1982;33:83–95. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Loeb M. R., Zachary A. L., Smith D. H. Isolation and partial characterization of outer and inner membranes from encapsulated Haemophilus influenzae type b. J Bacteriol. 1981 Jan;145(1):596–604. doi: 10.1128/jb.145.1.596-604.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Mason E. O., Jr, Kaplan S. L., Wiedermann B. L., Norrod E. P., Stenback W. A. Frequency and properties of naturally occurring adherent piliated strains of Haemophilus influenzae type b. Infect Immun. 1985 Jul;49(1):98–103. doi: 10.1128/iai.49.1.98-103.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. McChesney D., Tramont E. C., Boslego J. W., Ciak J., Sadoff J., Brinton C. C. Genital antibody response to a parenteral gonococcal pilus vaccine. Infect Immun. 1982 Jun;36(3):1006–1012. doi: 10.1128/iai.36.3.1006-1012.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Morgan R. L., Isaacson R. E., Moon H. W., Brinton C. C., To C. C. Immunization of suckling pigs against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli-induced diarrheal disease by vaccinating dams with purified 987 or K99 pili: protection correlates with pilus homology of vaccine and challenge. Infect Immun. 1978 Dec;22(3):771–777. doi: 10.1128/iai.22.3.771-777.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Moxon E. R., Smith A. L., Averill D. R., Smith D. H. Haemophilus influenzae meningitis in infant rats after intranasal inoculation. J Infect Dis. 1974 Feb;129(2):154–162. doi: 10.1093/infdis/129.2.154. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Musser J. M., Barenkamp S. J., Granoff D. M., Selander R. K. Genetic relationships of serologically nontypable and serotype b strains of Haemophilus influenzae. Infect Immun. 1986 Apr;52(1):183–191. doi: 10.1128/iai.52.1.183-191.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. O'Hanley P., Lark D., Falkow S., Schoolnik G. Molecular basis of Escherichia coli colonization of the upper urinary tract in BALB/c mice. Gal-Gal pili immunization prevents Escherichia coli pyelonephritis in the BALB/c mouse model of human pyelonephritis. J Clin Invest. 1985 Feb;75(2):347–360. doi: 10.1172/JCI111707. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Olafson R. W., McCarthy P. J., Bhatti A. R., Dooley J. S., Heckels J. E., Trust T. J. Structural and antigenic analysis of meningococcal piliation. Infect Immun. 1985 May;48(2):336–342. doi: 10.1128/iai.48.2.336-342.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Peterson G. L. A simplification of the protein assay method of Lowry et al. which is more generally applicable. Anal Biochem. 1977 Dec;83(2):346–356. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(77)90043-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Pichichero M. E. Adherence of Haemophilus influenzae to human buccal and pharyngeal epithelial cells: relationship to pilation. J Med Microbiol. 1984 Aug;18(1):107–116. doi: 10.1099/00222615-18-1-107. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Pichichero M. E., Loeb M., Anderson, Smith D. H. Do pili play a role in pathogenicity of Haemophilus influenzae type B? Lancet. 1982 Oct 30;2(8305):960–962. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(82)90161-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Rothbard J. B., Fernandez R., Schoolnik G. K. Strain-specific and common epitopes of gonococcal pili. J Exp Med. 1984 Jul 1;160(1):208–221. doi: 10.1084/jem.160.1.208. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Runnels P. L., Moseley S. L., Moon H. W. F41 pili as protective antigens of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli that produce F41, K99, or both pilus antigens. Infect Immun. 1987 Mar;55(3):555–558. doi: 10.1128/iai.55.3.555-558.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Salit I. E., Gotschlich E. C. Type I Escherichia coli pili: characterization of binding to monkey kidney cells. J Exp Med. 1977 Nov 1;146(5):1182–1194. doi: 10.1084/jem.146.5.1182. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Stull T. L., Mendelman P. M., Haas J. E., Schoenborn M. A., Mack K. D., Smith A. L. Characterization of Haemophilus influenzae type b fimbriae. Infect Immun. 1984 Dec;46(3):787–796. doi: 10.1128/iai.46.3.787-796.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Tramont E. C., Ciak J., Boslego J., McChesney D. G., Brinton C. C., Zollinger W. Antigenic specificity of antibodies in vaginal secretions during infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Infect Dis. 1980 Jul;142(1):23–31. doi: 10.1093/infdis/142.1.23. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Tramont E. C., Sadoff J. C., Boslego J. W., Ciak J., McChesney D., Brinton C. C., Wood S., Takafuji E. Gonococcal pilus vaccine. Studies of antigenicity and inhibition of attachment. J Clin Invest. 1981 Oct;68(4):881–888. doi: 10.1172/JCI110343. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Zak K., Diaz J. L., Jackson D., Heckels J. E. Antigenic variation during infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae: detection of antibodies to surface proteins in sera of patients with gonorrhea. J Infect Dis. 1984 Feb;149(2):166–174. doi: 10.1093/infdis/149.2.166. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES