Occlusion of biliary stents, as the result of bacterial adhesion and c
olonization onto biliary stents, still remains a major problem. Biliar
y proteins, such as fibronectin (Fn) and vitronectin (Vn), have been p
resumed to be involved in the process of bacterial adhesion to biliary
biomaterial. In the present study, Fn binding by 5 strains of E. coli
isolated from biliary drains or from bile was studied. All strains di
d not bind detectable amounts of soluble Fn but bound to immobilized p
lasma Fn. Adhesion of four strains of E. coli to ovalbumin was reduced
by periodate treatment of ovalbumin, but adhesion to Fn was unaffecte
d. Adhesion was inhibited by mannose-containing saccharides, trypsin t
reatment of the protein, and protease treatment of the bacterial cells
. Autoradiography showed that components of cell extracts from three E
. coli strains bind I-125-Fn but not a 150kD Fn fragment. The findings
indicate that the adhesion of these bacteria to Fn is a protein-prote
in interaction, inhibited by D-mannose, and possibly mediated by fimbr
ial components.