Adhesion of staphylococcus epidermidis to a human cardiac cell line mediated by lipoteichoic acid

Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common cause of endocarditis. This study was carried out to examine the early steps of its pathogenesis, i.e. bacterial adhesion. Adherence of S. epidermidis to human, bovine and murine endothelial cell lines with and without pretreatment of cell lines with lipoteichoic acid [LTA] and pretreatment of bacteria with polyclonal anti-LTA antibodies, human albumin and lipase was carried out. S. epidermidis binding to human continuous endocardial cell line was 3% of the inoculum. This was blocked with LTA [65%], polyclonal anti-LTA antibodies [50%], human albumin [60%] and lipase [60-70%]. LTA is an important though not the sole adhesin for bacterium host cell receptor interaction in this experimental model