Antibiotic resistance and outer membrane protein antigens of pseudomonas aeruginasa

Abstract

P.aeruginosa and other Gram-negative bacteria were isolated directly from the urine of patients with urinary tract infection. The outer membrane protein (OMP) profiles of the bacteria were investigated using sodium dodecylsulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The results indicated that bacteria grew under iron deprived conditions as revealed by the expression of several high molecular weight OMPs which could also be observed when the same isolates were grown under iron-depleted conditions in laboratory media, The antigenicity of outer membrane components was studied by immunoblotting using serum and urine samples from the patients,and hyperimmune rabbit serum. The results indicated that serum and urine contained antibodies against major outer membrane components of the bacteria, including iron regulated membrane proteins. Antibody titres in serum and urine determined by enzyme linked immunabsorbent assay using iron-depleted cultures confirmed the results obtained by immunoblotting. Iron-depleted cultures of P.aeruginosa were also found to be more virulent than iron plentiful cultures in a mouse intraperitoneal challenge study...