The role of the O-antigen lipopolysaccharide and capsule on an experimental Klebsiella pneumoniae infection of the rat urinary tract

FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1993 Jul 15;111(1):9-13. doi: 10.1016/0378-1097(93)90175-2.

Abstract

We obtained, by different methods, isogenic lipopolysaccharide (O antigen) and capsular polysaccharide (K antigen) mutants from Klebsiella pneumoniae strains able to induce experimental infections (cystitis and pyelonephritis) in rats. We compared the induction of experimental infections in rats by wild-type strains and the lipopolysaccharide and capsular polysaccharide mutants. The high-molecular mass lipopolysaccharide of K. pneumoniae is clearly implicated in the infection process of the rat urinary tract, whilst the capsular polysaccharide seems not to be involved to the same extent.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Bacterial / toxicity*
  • Antigens, Surface / isolation & purification
  • Antigens, Surface / toxicity*
  • Cystitis / microbiology
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Female
  • Kidney / microbiology
  • Kidney Diseases / microbiology
  • Klebsiella Infections / microbiology*
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae* / immunology
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae* / isolation & purification
  • O Antigens
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / isolation & purification
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / toxicity*
  • Pyelonephritis / microbiology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Urinary Bladder / microbiology
  • Urinary Bladder Diseases / microbiology
  • Urinary Tract Infections / microbiology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Antigens, Surface
  • K antigens
  • O Antigens
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial