EVIDENCE FOR LECTIN-MEDIATED ADHERENCE OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS-SAPROPHYTICUS AND PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA TO POLYMERS

By hemagglutination tests surface lectins on S. saprophyticus strain S 1 with N-acetylgalactosamine (GaINac) and N-acetylglucosamine (G1cNac) specifity and on P. aeruginosa ATCC strain 27853 with N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) specifity could be demonstrated. To elucidate the role of bacterial surface lectins for the specific adhesion, polyetherurethane discs were preincubated for 15 h at 4°C in human serum or urine. Adhesion studies with S. saprophyticus S1 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 onto precoated polymers revealed that microbial lectins may play a role in the colonization of prosthetic devices since lectin-blocking with competitive glycoconjugates significantly decreased bacterial adherence to the coated surfaces. Non-specific carbohydrates did not inhibit the adherence demonstrating specifity of this process. © 1990, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart · New York. All rights reserved.