concanavalin-a and Streptococcal-Infections

Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus are often simultaneously detected from many cases of non-bullous impetigo with atopic dermatitis.. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), to investigate formation of S. pyogenes microcolonies in skin lesions.. The S. pyogenes cells in the stationary growth phase alone were strongly stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate-concanavalin A (FITC-ConA), and this staining was reduced by pretreatment with amylase. Although the components of sugars in glycocalyx produced by S. pyogenes cells are unknown, we suggested that the materials stained by FITC-ConA were consistent with the presence of ConA-reactive sugars in glycocalyx produced by S. pyogenes cells.. S. pyogenes cells associated with streptococcal impetigo skin and croton-oil inflamed mouse skin formed microcolonies encircled by materials (glycocalyx) that stained strongly with FITC-ConA, and these findings were consistent with those in biofilms. In croton-oil inflamed mouse skin, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) infiltrated to just below the epidermis in the cefdinir-treated group but only to the middle dermis in the cefdinir-non-treated group. In this case S. pyogenes and S. aureus cells formed separate microcolonies and existed independently in the outer walls of pustule lesions of streptococcal impetigo.. In skin infections, S. pyogenes and S. aureus formed aggregates of microcolonies (similar to that in biofilms) encircled by glycocalyx, which can make the infection hard to eradicate using an antimicrobial agent alone. The effect of conventional antimicrobial agents against biofilm is mainly due to the increase of the invasion of PMNs into the biofilm.

Topics: Adolescent; Animals; Colony Count, Microbial; Concanavalin A; Croton Oil; Dermatologic Agents; Drug Eruptions; Female; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; Humans; Impetigo; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Mice; Microscopy, Confocal; Streptococcal Infections; Streptococcus pyogenes

Microheterogeneity of acute phase proteins frequently differs in acute and chronic types of inflammation. However, it is unknown whether these changes depend on the duration of the inflammation in a given disease. We therefore investigated the microheterogeneity of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) in sera from patients with acute and chronic bacterial infection in comparison to rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. In acute bacterial infection Con A-reactivity of AGP was significantly elevated. By contrast, AGP in chronic bacterial infection showed the same glycosylation pattern as rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis being characterized by a decreased reactivity to Con A. Serial measurements in individual patients with bacterial infections showed a transition from the initially elevated to decreased reactivity to Con A as the disease became chronic.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Bacterial Infections; C-Reactive Protein; Chronic Disease; Concanavalin A; Female; Glycosylation; Humans; Immunoelectrophoresis, Two-Dimensional; Male; Middle Aged; Orosomucoid; Spondylitis, Ankylosing; Staphylococcal Infections; Streptococcal Infections

Intraperitoneal administration of group A streptococcal cell walls to rats induces an acute arthritis that resolves and is followed by a chronic lesion. The effect of low dose methotrexate, D-penicillamine and gold thioglucose has been investigated in this model. Whereas D-penicillamine and gold thioglucose had no effect on the hind paw inflammation and joint destruction (radiological assessment) associated with the lesion, methotrexate treatment suppressed both of these variables. Spleen cells derived from cell wall treated arthritic rats were hyporesponsive to concanavalin A (Con-A) and were deficient in the synthesis of interleukin 2 (IL-2). Spleen cells derived from methotrexate treated rats exhibited an improved response to Con-A and their ability to synthesize IL-2 was significantly enhanced.

Topics: Animals; Arthritis, Infectious; Aurothioglucose; Cell Wall; Concanavalin A; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Gold; Interleukin-2; Methotrexate; Penicillamine; Rats; Rats, Inbred Lew; Spleen; Streptococcal Infections

Cell-mediated immunity of lymphocytes to group A, type T 12, streptococcal cell wall extract was evaluated by measurement of DNA synthesis in cultures of lymphocytes from healthy controls and from glomerulonephritic patients. Cells from adult healthy persons regularly responded to this antigen, whereas cord blood lymphocytes did not. Several additional experiments suggested that the response in normal controls was due to a specific immune response and was not caused by a nonspecific mitogenic effect of the cell wall antigens. In a group of 17 patients with progressive glomerulonephritis (PGN) and 10 with nonprogressive glomerulonephritis (IRGN) the level of response was comparable to that of healthy controls. In the PGN group the response was significantly lower after 4 days, but this difference disappeared after 6 days. Thus, this method failed to differentiate between health and disease. The presence of anti-streptococcal cell wall antigen antibodies was tested using a passive hemagglutination technique. Only 1 of 6 controls had a demonstrable antibody titer, whereas 15 of 26 nephritic patients had detectable antibodies and 10 of them had titers greater than 1/64. Our findings suggest the possibility of a relationship between streptococcal bacteria and progressive glomerulonephritis.

Topics: Antibodies, Bacterial; Antibody Formation; Antigens, Bacterial; Cell Wall; Cells, Cultured; Concanavalin A; DNA; Glomerulonephritis; Hemagglutination; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Lectins; Lymphocytes; Streptococcal Infections; Streptococcus; Time Factors