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Title: EFFECT OF ANTIBODIES TO ALPHA AND BETA TOXINS, CELL WALL AND EXOPOLYSACCHARIDE CAPSULE ON THE CYTOTOXICITY AND ADHERENCE OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS TO BOVINE MAMMARY EPITHELIAL CELLS

Author
item CIFRIAN, EDUARDO - UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
item Guidry, Albert
item MARQUARDT, WARREN - UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

Submitted to: American Journal of Veterinary Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of chronic mastitis in dairy cattle. Upon entering the mammary gland S. aureus adhere to the lining of the mammary gland and multiply causing foci of infection. They also produce a mucous type covering that coats the growing colony of organisms and protects them from the major mammary gland defense mechanism - white blood cells in the milk. The growing colony of organisms also produces toxins which accumulate in the walled-off colony and erode tissues lining the mammary gland enabling the organisms the penetrate and become established deep in the mammary tissue. Attempts to study S. aureus adherence and penetration of mammary tissue in the intact gland is impractical due to the complexity of the gland. The current report describes the use of a laboratory model of mammary tissue that permits the close observation and quantitation of the effects of toxins and S. aureus adherence on mammary tissue and possible means of alleviating their damaging affects. Studies, using this model, have clearly demonstrated that antibodies produced by the cow can block S. aureus adherence and neutralize toxins thus preventing adherence, tissue damage and chronic establishment of the organism. This will aid in the production of vaccines that will be used to prevent S. aureus infections of the cow's mammary gland.

Technical Abstract: In vitro cultures of bovine mammary epithelial cells were used to determine the effect of antibodies to staphylococcal alpha and beta toxins, cell wall and exopolysaccharide capsule on the toxicity and adherence of S. aureus to mammary epithelial cells. Antisera to alpha toxin, beta toxin both alpha + beta toxins inhibited the cytotoxic effect of S. aureus toxins son mammary epithelial cell monolayers and the lysis of rabbit and bovine erythrocytes. The antiserum to alpha + beta toxins was the most effective and the antiserum to beta toxin the least effective. All three antisera decreased the percentage of S. aureus adhered, the number of organisms per colony and the number of organisms adhered per epithelial cell. Antisera to alpha and to alpha + beta toxins decreased the number of S. aureus colonies per dish but antiserum to beta toxin alone did not have any effect. Antiserum to alpha + beta toxins decreased the percentage of epithelial cells with S. aureus adhered, antisera to alpha or beta toxins alone did not have any effect. Antisera to cell wall and to cell wall + capsule had similar inhibitory effects on the adherence of S. aureus. Both decreased the percentage of S. aureus adhered, the number of colonies per dish, the number of organisms per colony, the percentage of epithelial cells with S. aureus adhered and the number of organisms adhered per epithelial cell. Antiserum to capsule had no effect on any of these parameters.