Impact of host factors and invasive meningococci on bacterial adhesion, proliferation, primary nasal epithelial barrier function, and immune response.

ABSTRACT: Neisseria meningitidis colonizes the human upper airway mucosa, which can progress into invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) upon breaching the epithelial barrier. Some serogroups and lineages are associated with IMD, whereas others rarely infect patients. Although multiple virulence factors have been described, it is unclear what makes some lineages hyperinvasive. Here, we examined meningococcal infection of air-to-liquid interface (ALI)-differentiated primary epithelial cells to assess host- and strain-dependent differences in colonization that could explain hyperinvasiveness. Nasal epithelial cells from seven donors were infected with meningococcal reference strains and hyperinvasive clonal complex 11 (cc11) strains, including serogroup C, W, and an unencapsulated capsule null lo

SUBMITTER: Arends DW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12323337 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature