Enterococcal Surface Protein Transiently Aggravates Enterococcus faecium–Induced Urinary Tract Infection in Mice

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases 2009-10, Vol.200 (7), p.1162-1165
• Main Authors: Leendertse, Masja, Heikens, Esther, Wijnands, Lucas M., van Luit-Asbroek, Miranda, Teske, Gwendoline J. D., Roelofs, Joris J. T. H., Bonten, Marc J. M., van der Poll, Tom, Willems, Rob J. L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; BACTERIA; Bacterial Adhesion; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Bacterial Proteins - toxicity; Enterococcus; Enterococcus faecium; Enterococcus faecium - genetics; Enterococcus faecium - metabolism; Epithelial cells; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial - physiology; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Infections; Kidneys; Membrane proteins; Membrane Proteins - genetics; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Membrane Proteins - toxicity; Mice; Peritonitis; Protein Binding; Urinary bladder; Urinary tract infections; Urinary Tract Infections - microbiology; Urine
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/605609

The role that the enterococcal surface protein Esp plays in the capacity of Enterococcus faecium to adhere to uroepithelial cells and the role that it plays in urinary tract infection and peritonitis was investigated in vitro and in vivo, respectively, using Esp-expressing E. faecium (E1162) and its isogenic Esp-deficient mutant (E1162Δesp). Esp expression enhanced in vitro binding to bladder and kidney epithelial cells. In mice, higher numbers of E1162 were cultured from kidneys and bladders after the induction of urinary tract infection, compared with E1162Δesp numbers. This was accompanied by a higher frequency of bacteremia, higher cytokine levels in kidney tissue, and renal insufficiency. Esp had no effect on the course of E. faecium peritonitis