Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-25-2022
Department
Biological Sciences
School
Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences
Abstract
The role of the pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule is largely unclear for Streptococcus pneumoniae keratitis, an ocular inflammatory disease that develops as a result of bacterial infection of the cornea. In this study, capsule-deficient strains were compared to isogenic parent strains in their ability to adhere to human corneal epithelial cells. One isogenic pair was further used in topical ocular infection of mice to assess the contribution of the capsule to keratitis. The results showed that non-encapsulated pneumococci were significantly more adherent to cells, persisted in significantly higher numbers on mouse corneas in vivo, and caused significant increases in murine ocular IL9, IL10, IL12-p70, MIG, and MIP-1-gamma compared to encapsulated S. pneumoniae. These findings indicate that the bacterial capsule impedes virulence and the absence of capsule impacts inflammation following corneal infection.
Recommended Citation
Carr, Mary A.; Marcelo, Dennis; Lovell, K. Michael; Benton, Angela H.; Tullos, Nathan A.; Norcross, Erin W.; Myers, Brandon; Craddieth, Hayley; and Marquart, Mary E., "Absence of Streptococcus pneumoniae Capsule Increases Bacterial Binding, Perisstence, and Inflammation In Corneal Infection" (2022). Student Publications. 100.
https://aquila.usm.edu/student_pubs/100