The role of glycosaminoglycan binding of staphylococci in attachment to eukaryotic host cells

Attachment of microorganisms to host cells is believed to be a critical ear ly step in microbial pathogenesis. The aim of the study was to determine th e role of the known glycosaminoglycan (GAG) binding activity of Staphylococ cus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) in their attachment to six different eukaryotic cell lines. Three staphylococcal species expres sing GAG binding capacity-S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and S. hemolyticus-wer e chosen for investigation. Six different eukaryotic cell lines, endothelia l HUVEC and EA. hy 926 cells, epithelial A549 and HeLa S3 cells, fibroblast s HEL Sp 12 and macrophages J774.A1, were included. A modified ELISA with b iotinylated bacteria was used for estimating the adhesion of staphylococci to each of the cell lines. Our results showed that staphylococci adhered to each of the cell lines studied, although the binding of CoNS strains to ep ithelial cells was lower than to the other cells. The attachment to all cel l types could be partially decreased by pretreatment of the bacteria with v arious polysulfated agents (highest inhibition was 60%), as well as by chlo rate and heparitinase treatment of the cells. These observations may sugges t that at least one mode of staphylococcal attachment utilizes GAG chains p resent on the surface of virtually all adherent cells.