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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #95720
Title: STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS SURFACE MOLECULES THAT RECOGNIZE BOVINE MAMMARY EPITHELIUM

Author
item Guidry, Albert
item Obrien, Celia
item WORKU, M - 1265-20-00
item PATTI, J - TEXAS A&M
item DOUGLASS, L - UNIV OF MARYLAND

Submitted to: Veterinary Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/3/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of bacterial infections in both humans and animals. It is a major cause of bovine mastitis and is responsible for $2 billion per annum loss to dairymen. Numerous reports have confirmed that adherence to epithelial cells of various organs including the bovine mammary gland is the first step in establishing a S. aureus infection. These studies also showed that fibronectin- and collagen-binding proteins on the surface of the S. aureus was responsible to a significant extent for adherence of the organisms to mammary tissue. This study used genetically engineered fibronectin- binding (Fnbp) and collagen-binding (Cna) proteins to block adherence to mammary cells and S. aureus devoid of Fnbp and Cna to determine the importance of these two proteins on the adherence of S. aureus to bovine mammary cells. Both proteins were shown to cause S. aureus, but Fnbp was the effective. The study also showed that antibodies to the two binding proteins prevented adherence, thus suggesting that they may be effective in a mastitis vaccine to prevent S. aureus mastitis.

Technical Abstract: Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of bacterial infections in both humans and animals. It is a major cause of bovine mastitis and is responsible for $2 billion per annum loss to dairymen. Numerous reports have confirmed that adherence to epithelial cells of various organs including the bovine mammary gland is the first step in establishing a S. aureus infection. These studies also showed that fibronectin- and collagen-binding proteins on the surface of the S. aureus was responsible to a significant extent for adherence of the organisms to epithelial cells. This study used genetically engineered fibronectin- binding (Fnbp) and collagen-binding (Cna) proteins in inhibition studies and S. aureus mutants that are negative for Fnbp and Cna to determine the importance of these two proteins on the adherence of S. aureus to bovine mammary secretory epithelial cells. The Fnbp was inhibited adherence of S. aureus to bovine mammary epithelial cells and mutants that were + or - to Fnbp showed that Fnbp was more effective in the adherence process than Cna. Antibodies to a pool of the binding proteins significantly decreased binding of S. aureus, suggesting the possibility that these proteins, used in a subunit vaccine, may be effective in preventing S. aureus adherence to bovine mammary epithelium and the establishment of chronic S. aureus mastitis.