Physical and Chemical Factors Affecting the Adherence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to a Rabbit Cornea Cell Line (SIRC) Cells

Adherence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to SIRC cells was examined by the use of 14C-lysine labeled organisms. Pretreatment of P. aeruginosa with heating, 3% formaldehyde, or ultraviolet caused a significant decrease in adherence to SIRC cells, whereas that with lipase, hyaluronidase, trypsin or protease did not. Treatment of SIRC cells with trypsin, protease, lipase or neuraminidase did not influence the adherence of P. aeruginosa to the cell. Treatment of P. aeruginosa with mannose or galactose inhibited the adherence, while that with fructose, lactose or glucose did not. Treatment of SIRC cells with galactosidase or mannosidase reduced the adherence of the organism. No correlation was demonstrated between the adhering ability and hydrophobicity of P. aeruginosa. The results suggest that both the viability in bacterial site and mannose and/or galactose molecules in cellular site are closely connected with the adherence of P. aeruginosa to SIRC cells.