Research article
Invasion of Ureaplasma diversum in Hep-2 cells
1 Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo. Av. Professor Lineu Prestes, 1374. 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
2 Núcleo de Tecnologia em Saúde, Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia. Av. Olívia Flores, 3000. 45055-090, Vitória da Conquista, BA, Brazil
3 Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo. Av. Professor Lineu Prestes, 1374. CEP 05508 900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
BMC Microbiology 2010, 10:83 doi:10.1186/1471-2180-10-83
Published: 17 March 2010Abstract
Background
Understanding mollicutes is challenging due to their variety and relationship with host cells. Invasion has explained issues related to their opportunistic role. Few studies have been done on the Ureaplasma diversum mollicute, which is detected in healthy or diseased bovine. The invasion in Hep-2 cells of four clinical isolates and two reference strains of their ureaplasma was studied by Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy and gentamicin invasion assay.
Results
The isolates and strains used were detected inside the cells after infection of one minute without difference in the arrangement for adhesion and invasion. The adhesion was scattered throughout the cells, and after three hours, the invasion of the ureaplasmas surrounded the nuclear region but were not observed inside the nuclei. The gentamicin invasion assay detected that 1% of the ATCC strains were inside the infected Hep-2 cells in contrast to 10% to the clinical isolates. A high level of phospholipase C activity was also detected in all studied ureaplasma.
Conclusions
The results presented herein will help better understand U. diversum infections, aswell as cellular attachment and virulence.
