Distinct Patterns of Host Adherence by Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolated from Experimental Gonorrhea

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae, gonococci, or GC), the etiologic agent of gonorrhea, is a human-obligate bacterial pathogen. The GC surface contains pili that mediate the adherence to host cells. Studies have shown that GC pili, coded by pilin genes, undergo remarkable changes during human ex...

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Main Authors: Yingxia He, Song Zhang, Yingmiao Zhang, Bicong Wu, Ying Xue, Chenglin Ye, Qiao Li, Adhiambo Njiri Olivia, John Mambwe Tembo, Hongxiang Chen, Huahua Cai, Tie Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/7865405
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author Yingxia He
Song Zhang
Yingmiao Zhang
Bicong Wu
Ying Xue
Chenglin Ye
Qiao Li
Adhiambo Njiri Olivia
John Mambwe Tembo
Hongxiang Chen
Huahua Cai
Tie Chen
author_facet Yingxia He
Song Zhang
Yingmiao Zhang
Bicong Wu
Ying Xue
Chenglin Ye
Qiao Li
Adhiambo Njiri Olivia
John Mambwe Tembo
Hongxiang Chen
Huahua Cai
Tie Chen
author_sort Yingxia He
collection DOAJ
description Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae, gonococci, or GC), the etiologic agent of gonorrhea, is a human-obligate bacterial pathogen. The GC surface contains pili that mediate the adherence to host cells. Studies have shown that GC pili, coded by pilin genes, undergo remarkable changes during human experimental gonorrhea, possibly generated by DNA phase variation during infection. The question that arises is whether the changes in pilins can alter the adherence capacity of N. gonorrhoeae to host cells. In this study, six variants initially isolated from male volunteers infected with one single clone of GC were examined for their adherence patterns with human Chang conjunctiva cells. In this study, we showed that the variants showed distinct adherence patterns to this cell line under light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, two reisolates showed higher adherence capacities than that of the input strain. The results provide an additional example as to how the pilus variation may play a role in the pathogenesis of N. gonorrhoeae.
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institution OA Journals
issn 1712-9532
1918-1493
language English
publishDate 2021-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology
spelling doaj-art-64ff90d2754e43e4ae9fd7d59a7148cb2025-08-20T02:06:39ZengWileyCanadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology1712-95321918-14932021-01-01202110.1155/2021/78654057865405Distinct Patterns of Host Adherence by Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolated from Experimental GonorrheaYingxia He0Song Zhang1Yingmiao Zhang2Bicong Wu3Ying Xue4Chenglin Ye5Qiao Li6Adhiambo Njiri Olivia7John Mambwe Tembo8Hongxiang Chen9Huahua Cai10Tie Chen11Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaNeisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae, gonococci, or GC), the etiologic agent of gonorrhea, is a human-obligate bacterial pathogen. The GC surface contains pili that mediate the adherence to host cells. Studies have shown that GC pili, coded by pilin genes, undergo remarkable changes during human experimental gonorrhea, possibly generated by DNA phase variation during infection. The question that arises is whether the changes in pilins can alter the adherence capacity of N. gonorrhoeae to host cells. In this study, six variants initially isolated from male volunteers infected with one single clone of GC were examined for their adherence patterns with human Chang conjunctiva cells. In this study, we showed that the variants showed distinct adherence patterns to this cell line under light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, two reisolates showed higher adherence capacities than that of the input strain. The results provide an additional example as to how the pilus variation may play a role in the pathogenesis of N. gonorrhoeae.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/7865405
spellingShingle Yingxia He
Song Zhang
Yingmiao Zhang
Bicong Wu
Ying Xue
Chenglin Ye
Qiao Li
Adhiambo Njiri Olivia
John Mambwe Tembo
Hongxiang Chen
Huahua Cai
Tie Chen
Distinct Patterns of Host Adherence by Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolated from Experimental Gonorrhea
Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology
title Distinct Patterns of Host Adherence by Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolated from Experimental Gonorrhea
title_full Distinct Patterns of Host Adherence by Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolated from Experimental Gonorrhea
title_fullStr Distinct Patterns of Host Adherence by Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolated from Experimental Gonorrhea
title_full_unstemmed Distinct Patterns of Host Adherence by Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolated from Experimental Gonorrhea
title_short Distinct Patterns of Host Adherence by Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolated from Experimental Gonorrhea
title_sort distinct patterns of host adherence by neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated from experimental gonorrhea
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/7865405
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