BINDING OF EXTRACELLULAR-MATRIX PROTEINS TO THE SURFACE OF BACTEROIDES SPP

The binding of fibronectin an vitronectin to 207 Bacteroides strains a nd the binding of collagen and sialoproteins to 55 Bacteroides strains were investigated by means of latex agglutination tests. The binding of fibronectin, collagen and lactoferrin to the same 55 strains was al so tested by using I-125-labelled proteins. The 207 strains, belonging to ten Bacteroides species, were isolated from different infections ( 51%) and from faeces of healthy subjects (49%). Most of the strains di splaying fibronectin binding belonged in the species B. fragilis or B. vulgatus. The binding could be inhibited by preincubation of the cell s with an excess amount of fibronectin. No inhibition of the binding w as observed with carbohydrates. The vitronectin binding of the strains was less common, but was always observed to accompany fibronectin bin ding. None of the examined 55 strains exhibited any binding to fetuin or asialofetuin. The radiolabelling method indicated a low binding to I-125-fibronectin. The binding of I-125-collagen-I and I-125-lactoferr in in the Bacteroides strains tested was higher than that of I-125-fib ronectin. (C) 1997 Academic Press.