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Binding of 2-laminins by pathogenic and non-pathogenic mycobacteria and adherence to Schwann cells

Laboratório de Hanseníase, Fundaçao Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21045-000, Brazil and *Department of Microbiology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA

Corresponding author: Dr M.C.V. Pessolani (e-mail: cferrer{at}gene.dbbm.fiocruz.br).

Received 8 Dec. 1999; revised version accepted 20 April 2000.

Abstract

The ability of Mycobacterium leprae to specifically bind 2-laminins of Schwann cells has been described recently as being an important property of the leprosy bacillus, which could explain the neural tropism of M. leprae. Therefore, the extent of the expression of 2-laminin-binding properties among mycobacteria was investigated. In an ELISA-based assay, all three species of Mycobacterium tested (M. tuberculosis, M. chelonae and M. smegmatis) expressed laminin-binding capacity, suggesting that the ability to bind 2-laminins is conserved within the genus Mycobacterium. This report also demonstrated that not only M. leprae but all the mycobacterial species tested readily interacted with the ST88-14 cells, a human schwannoma cell line, and that the addition of soluble 2-laminins significantly increased their adherence to these cells. These results failed to demonstrate the presence in M. leprae of a unique system based on 2-laminins for adherence to Schwann cells.

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