Binding of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli to 32- to 33-kilodalton human intestinal brush border proteins

We have detected human intestinal brush border proteins to which Escherichia coli strains adhere by means of a blotting-nitrocellulose method in which the binding of radiolabeled bacteria to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis-separated intestinal cell membranes was evaluated. The brush border fraction contained several polypeptides that bound only adherent E. cell strains. The most prominent and consistent of these proteins had apparent molecular masses of 32 to 33 kDa. Additional polypeptides ranging from 50 to 70, from 105 to 130, and from 180 to 200 kDa were also recognized by adherent E. coli strains, although with less intensity (in accordance with the number of bound bacteria to these polypeptides). Independently of the pattern of adherence (localized [LA], diffuse [DA], or aggregative [AggA]) all HEp-2-adhering strains recognized, with different intensities, the 32- to 33-kDa brush border proteins, whereas nonadhesive strains did not. The relative avidity of an LA strain to bind to the 32- to 33-kDa proteins was approximately seven-and sixfold higher than the binding of strains with aggregative and diffuse adherence, respectively. Thus, it is reasonable to think that LA, DA, and AggA strains have a common adhesin that mediates binding to the 32- to 33-kDa bands. Inhibition experiments using HEp-2 cells demonstrated that isolated 32- to 33-kDa proteins or specific antiserum blocked preferentially bacterial adherence of the LA pattern. Delipidization and protein digestion of the human brush borders confirmed that E. coli bound to structures of a proteinaceous nature. Deglycosylation studies and sodium meta-periodate oxidation of the intestinal cell membranes decreased bacterial binding activity significantly, indicating that E. coli bound to carbohydrate moieties in the glycoproteins. These results suggest that binding of E. coli strains, mainly of the LA phenotype, to the 32- to 33-kDa proteins could play a role in colonization through adherence to the intestinal mucosa.