Mycobacteria develop biofilms on airway epithelial cells and promote mucosal barrier disruption
Amy M Barclay, Dennis K. Ninaber, Ronald W.A.L. Limpens, Kimberley V. Walburg, Montserrat Bárcena, Pieter S. Hiemstra, Tom H. M. Ottenhoff, Anne M. van der Does, Simone A. Joosten
Abstract
consistently formed biofilms with extracellular matrixes on PBEC cultures. Biofilms varied in biomass, matrix polysaccharide content, and bacterial metabolic activity between species. Exposure of PBEC to mycobacteria caused the disruption of the epithelial barrier and was accompanied by mostly apical non-apoptotic cell death. Structural analysis revealed pore-like structures in 7-day biofilms. Taken together, mycobacteria can form biofilms on human airway epithelial cells, and long-term infection negatively affects barrier function and promotes cell death.
Topics & Concepts
BiofilmMicrobiologyChemistryAirwayCell biologyEpitheliumBiologyMedicinePathologyBacteriaSurgeryGeneticsMycobacterium research and diagnosisNosocomial Infections in ICUSinusitis and nasal conditions