Study on the effect of products of neuraminidase gene(nan A) in the infection of Streptococcus pneumoniae in chinchillas / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

To explore the effect of products of nan A gene on the changes of cell surface carbohydrates of the chinchilla eustachian tube after infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae. Methods Using lectin histochemical techique to compare the changes of the cell surface carbohydrates in the chinchilla eustachian tube after infection with S.pneumoniae D39 or ?NA1 mutant. Results The labeling pattern revealed that the staining with Limax flavus agglutinin (LFA) and Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA) was decreased in epithelium of the eustachian tube in the D39 cohort compared to the uninfected control, which indicated that the normal terminal sialic acid residue were removed. Concurrently, the increased staining with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), succinylated wheat germ agglutinin (Succ WGA), Bandeiraea simplicfolia lectin II (BSL II), peanut agglutinin (PNA) and Erythrina cristagalli lectin (ECL) was observed in the lumen surface of eustachian tube subsequent to intranasal inoculation with D39. However, the ?NA1 neuraminidase deficient mutant did not show any significant changes in the lectin labeling patterns as compared with those of the control cohort. Conclusions The products of the nan A gene play an important role in the changes of cell surface carbohydrates and thus may be responsible for the colonization in the chinchilla eustachian tube after infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae.