Interaction of β-lactam antibiotics with the bactericidal activity of leukocytes againstEscherichia coli

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Abstract
The effect ofβ-lactam antibiotics on phagocytosis and intracellular killing of four isogenicEscherichia coli strains differing in their 0- and K antigens was studied by adopting the rat polyvinyl-sponge model. The penicillins mezlocillin, ticarcillin and piperacillin rendered all four isogenicE. coli strains more susceptible to intraleukocyte killing; the cefalosporins tested exhibited inhomogenous effects; lamoxactam was marginally effective, whereas cefoxitin was completely ineffective; cefotaxime caused an increase in intracellular killing of the capsule-defective mutant only. Theβ-lactam promoted increase in intracellular killing could be inhibited byα-methylmannoside but not byα-methylglucoside. Free-flow electrophoretic separation of mezlocillin-treated bacteria and guinea pig erythrocytes revealed that co-migration ofE. coli and erythrocytes respectively could be inhibited byα-methylmannoside but not byα-methylglucoside. These data indicate that mezlocillin interferes with the mannose sensitive adhesins ofE. coli.

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