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Glycoconjugates as possible receptors forStreptococcus pyogenes

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Abstract

The adherence capacities of M-protein-positive (M+) and M-protein-negative (M-) strains ofStreptococcus pyogenes were compared in human epithelial cells obtained from the pharynx (PEC) or from the buccal mucosa (BEC). Adherence to PEC was related to the presence of M protein (40.5±1.1 M+ and 17.8±0.6 M−S. pyogenes per PEC), whereas BEC showed adherence equally for M+ and M− strains. Different receptor sites may thus be involved on the two cell types. Preincubation of the bacteria with disialogangliosides (1 mg/ml), orN-acetylgalactosamine, ord-galactose (10 μg/ml) resulted in diminished adherence of M+ strains to PEC but not to BEC. Chromatography ond-galactose-Sepharose 6B showed specific binding only of M+ group A streptococcal strains to gel beads. M− group A, and groups C and G streptococci did not bind. These observations suggest that the receptors on PEC for group A streptococci are distinct from those on BEC, and that most probably the attachment ofS. pyogenes to human pharyngeal cells occurs by specific, lectin-like binding to galactose residues on epithelial cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bacteriology, Biomedicum, Box 583, S-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden

    Torkel Walström

  2. Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw 36, Poland

    Stanislawa Tylewska

Authors
  1. Torkel Walström
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  2. Stanislawa Tylewska
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Walström, T., Tylewska, S. Glycoconjugates as possible receptors forStreptococcus pyogenes . Current Microbiology 7, 343–346 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01572601

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