Vann J M, Hamill R J, Albrecht R M, Mosher D F, Proctor R A
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison 53706.
J Infect Dis. 1989 Sep;160(3):538-42. doi: 10.1093/infdis/160.3.538.
Fibronectin binds to Staphylococcus aureus and may have a role in mediating its adherence to host tissue. Fibronectin was localized ultrastructurally on S. aureus in suspension and in interactions with cultured bovine endothelial cells. Probes were constructed by adsorbing fibronectin or its antibodies to colloidal gold beads (FN-Au or aFN-Au, respectively). Sites of fibronectin binding to S. aureus were demonstrated by reacting FN-Au with S. aureus in suspension. Transmission electron microscopy showed that FN-Au localized uniformly over the surface of S. aureus in suspension; most localized within 65 nm of the cell wall. The distribution of aFN-Au on S. aureus adherent to endothelial cells was concentrated in areas between S. aureus and endothelial cells. Areas of S. aureus not facing endothelial cells bound few aFN-Au. This suggests that the fibronectin labeled by aFN-Au in areas between S. aureus and endothelial cells was involved in adherence of the S. aureus, consistent with a role for fibronectin in endocarditis.
