Variable disruption of epithelial monolayers by <i>Neisseria meningitidis</i> carriage isolates of the hypervirulent MenW cc11 and MenY cc23 lineages.

ABSTRACT: Colonization of mucosal tissues by Neisseria meningitidis requires adhesion mediated by the type IV pilus and multiple outer-membrane proteins. Penetration of the mucosa and invasion of epithelial cells are thought to contribute to host persistence and invasive disease. Using Calu-3 cell monolayers grown at an air-liquid interface, we examined adhesion, invasion and monolayer disruption by carriage isolates of two clonal complexes of N. meningitidis. Carriage isolates of both the serogroup Y cc23 and the hypervirulent serogroup W cc11 lineages exhibited high levels of cellular adhesion, and a variable disruption phenotype across independent isolates. Inactivation of the gene encoding the main pilus sub-unit in multiple cc11 isolates abrogated both adhesive capacity and abilit

SUBMITTER: Dave N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10197870 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature