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F. nucleatum alters endothelial integrity and allows other bacteria to invade human body

June 28, 2017

This "deceding" was observed by confocal microscopy when Han used cells from human umbilical cord. The researchers introduced F. nucleatum and demonstrated the VE-cadherins break on bonds on the endothelial cells and creating enough space in the endothelium for the invaders to move in.

Lab tests included introducing F. nucleatum with and without other bacteria. When E. coli alone was introduced, the bond did not break. But when F. nucleatum was introduced first, the bond broke, and the E. coli bacteria were able to move through the otherwise intact cell layers.

"This cascade knocks out the guard on duty and allows the bacteria to enter the blood and travel like a bus loaded with riders throughout the system. Whenever the F. nucleatum wants to get off the bus at the liver, brain, spleen, or another place, it does," Han said.

When it disembarks from its ride through the blood, it begins to colonize. The colony of bacteria induces an inflammatory reaction that has a range of consequences from necrosis of tissue to fetal death.

Source: Case Western Reserve University