Inhibition by polyanions of adherence by Kanagawa-positive Vibrio parahaemolyticus: a physicochemical effect.

Rapid adherence of Kanagawa-positive Vibrio parahaemolyticus to human fetal intestinal cells has been demonstrated in monolayer cultures. In this study, polyanionic carbohydrates and glycoproteins of various biochemical compositions, structural configurations, and molecular weights were found to inhibit this adherence. Mono- and disaccharide components of inhibitory compounds did not themselves inhibit adherence. Levels of Ca++ in the test mixture were similar in both the presence and the absence of chondroitin sulfate, a potent inhibitor of adherence by V. parahaemolyticus. These results, which demonstrate a major effect of surface charge in this model of bacterial adherence, suggest that differences in surface charge may contribute to the varying degrees of adherence by different strains of V. parahaemolyticus. This striking effect of surface charge on adherence by V. parahaemolyticus underscores the importance of experimental conditions and of substances that affect the surface potential of the cell in the interpretation of findings in models of bacterial adherence.