Involvement of treponemal surface‐located protein and carbohydrate moieties in the attachment of Treponema denticola ATCC 33520 to cultured rat palatal epithelial cells

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
We studied the nature of attachment of Treponema denticola ATCC 33520 to a microscopically distinct population of rounded rat palatal epithelial cells. The motility of the freshly harvested spirochetes appeared not to be a prerequisite for attachment. Treatment of T. denticola ATCC 33520 with proteinase‐K, heat, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde and periodate oxidation decreased the attachment to the rounded rat palatal epithelial cells, indicating the involvement of protein and carbohydrate moieties. Trypsin treatment had no effect on the attachment. The attachment of T. denticola ATCC 33520 was decreased after treatment with native non‐immune rabbit serum, native polyclonal rabbit serum, D‐mannose, N‐acetyl‐D‐galactosamine and sialic acid. The results indicate that the attachment of T. denticola ATCC 33520 to rounded rat palatal epithelial cells is mediated by trypsin‐resistant adhesin(s) of protein and carbohydrate nature, with affinity for D‐mannose, N‐acetyl‐D‐galactosamine and sialic acid.