Journal Article

Enhancement of capsular hypermucoviscosity in Klebsiella pneumoniae by Acanthamoeba

Lin, Wei-Chen, Sung, Ko-Chiang, Lai, Hong-Yue, Huang, Jian-Ming, Wang, Yu-Jen

2023

Overview

Acanthamoeba and Klebsiella pneumoniae are both environmental commensals. Recently, clinical harm caused by hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae has been observed. However, the interaction between these microbes and the origin of hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae have not been reported. Here, we report that the bacterial capsule is enlarged when co-cultured with Acanthamoeba using India ink staining, and this effect depends on the number of parasites present. This interaction results in an enhancement of capsular polysaccharide production in the subsequent generations of K. pneumoniae, even without co-culturing with Acanthamoeba. The hypermucoviscosity of the capsule was examined using the sedimentation assay and string test. We also screened other K. pneumoniae serotypes, including K1, K2, K5, and K20, for interaction with Acanthamoeba using India ink staining, and found the same interaction effect. These findings suggest that the interaction between Acanthamoeba and K. pneumoniae could lead to harmful consequences in public health and nosocomial disease control, particularly hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae infections.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Abscesses / Acanthamoeba / Bacteria / Biology and Life Sciences / Capsular polysaccharides / Cell organelles / Commensals / Disease control / Environmental aspects / Klebsiella / Klebsiella pneumoniae / Medicine and Health Sciences / Microorganisms / Nosocomial infection / Nosocomial infections / Parasites / Pathogenic microorganisms / People and Places / Phenols / Physical Sciences / Physiological aspects / Pneumonia / Polysaccharides / Proteins / Protozoa / Protozoa, Pathogenic / Public health / Research and Analysis Methods / Serotypes / Staining / Statistical significance / Sulfuric acid / Tropical diseases