Bd. Gold et al., SURFACE-PROPERTIES OF HELICOBACTER-MUSTELAE AND FERRET GASTROINTESTINAL MUCOSA, Clinical and investigative medicine, 19(2), 1996, pp. 92-100
Helicobacter mustelae is a gastric pathogen in ferrets that adheres to
epithelial cells both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, the author
s examine the role of surface hydrophobic properties in the adhesion o
f these organisms to eukaryotic cell surfaces. The surface properties
of six H. mustelae strains were characterized by hydrophobic interacti
on chromatography (HIC), salt aggregation testing (SAT) and contact-an
gle measurement by axisymmetric drop-shape analysis (ADSA). Contact an
gles in multiple regions of the gastrointestinal tract, obtained from
infected and uninfected ferrets, were also measured. The cell. surface
of H. mustelae was found to be hydrophilic by SAT but relatively hydr
ophobic by HIC. Contact-angle measurements for H. mustelae (mean 22.5
degrees, 95% confidence interval [ca 9.3 degrees to 35.7 degrees) were
higher than values previously reported for Helicobacter pylori (mean
12.1 degrees, 95% CI 2.0 degrees to 22.2 degrees, p < 0.05). The body
of the stomach was more hydrophilic in infected ferrets (mean contact
angle 59.9 degrees, 95% CI 52.5 degrees to 67.3 degrees) than in uninf
ected animals (mean contact angle 94.2 degrees, 95% CI 84.4 degrees to
104.0 degrees, p < 0.05). Reductions in the surface hydrophobicity of
the ferrets' stomachs were correlated with the degree of mucosal infl
ammation (p < 0.01). These findings demonstrate that H. mustelae has s
urface properties comparable to those of H. pylori strains. Like the h
uman stomach infected by H. pylori, there is a reduction in surface hy
drophobicity of the ferret antrum associated with H. mustelae infectio
n and the resulting mucosal inflammatory cell response.