Environmental Free-Living Amoebae Isolated from Soil in Khon Kaen, Thailand, Antagonize Burkholderia pseudomallei.

Presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil and water is correlated with endemicity of melioidosis in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Several biological and physico-chemical factors have been shown to influence persistence of B. pseudomallei in the environment of endemic areas. This study was the first to evaluate the interaction of B. pseudomallei with soil amoebae isolated from B. pseudomallei-positive soil site in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Four species of amoebae, Paravahlkampfia ustiana, Acanthamoeba sp., Naegleria pagei, and isolate A-ST39-E1, were isolated, cultured and identified based on morphology, movement and 18S rRNA gene sequence. Co-cultivation combined with a kanamycin-protection assay of B. pseudomallei with these amoebae at MOI 20 at 30°C were evaluated during 0-6 h using the plate count technique on Ashdown's agar. The fate of intracellular B. pseudomallei in these amoebae was also monitored by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) observation of the CellTracker™ Orange-B. pseudomallei stained cells. The results demonstrated the ability of P. ustiana, Acanthamoeba sp. and isolate A-ST39-E1 to graze B. pseudomallei. However, the number of internalized B. pseudomallei substantially decreased and the bacterial cells disappeared during the observation period, suggesting they had been digested. We found that B. pseudomallei promoted the growth of Acanthamoeba sp. and isolate A-ST39-E1 in co-cultures at MOI 100 at 30°C, 24 h. These findings indicated that P. ustiana, Acanthamoeba sp. and isolate A-ST39-E1 may prey upon B. pseudomallei rather than representing potential environmental reservoirs in which the bacteria can persist

<i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> is internalized into amoebae but could not resist digestion.

<p>CLSM micrographs show the internalized <i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> in <i>P</i>. <i>ustiana</i> (A-C), <i>Acanthamoeba</i> sp. (D-F) and isolate A-ST39-E1 (G-I) at 0, 3 and 6 h after kanamycin treatment. Orange fluorescence represents CellTracker^™ Orange-<i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> and green fluorescence indicates the amoebae stained with FITC-ConA for visualization.</p

Numbers of <i>Acanthamoeba</i> sp. and isolate A-ST39-E1 over time (A-B and C-D respectively) after feeding with <i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> (▲) or <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> (positive control) (■) or deprived of bacteria as a negative control (●).

<p>Graphs and figures show no significant differences between amoebae fed on <i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> and <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i>. However, numbers of amoebae in the negative control group were significantly lower than in the pother groups (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.0001). Data are mean ± SD from duplicates of the three independent experiments.</p

Intracellular survival through time of <i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> in <i>P</i>. <i>ustiana</i> (A), <i>Acanthamoeba</i> sp. (B) and isolate A-ST39-E1 (C).

<p>Time zero represents 3 hours after <i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> feeding. Bars represent the standard errors of the means of duplicate, three times independent experiments, * <i>p</i> < 0. 0001 using ANOVA.</p

Specific primers for the 18s rRNA gene of amoebae.

<p>Specific primers for the 18s rRNA gene of amoebae.</p

<i>Burkholderia pseudomallei</i> Biofilm Promotes Adhesion, Internalization and Stimulates Proinflammatory Cytokines in Human Epithelial A549 Cells - Fig 1

<p><b>(A)</b> Fluorescence microscopic views of the 2-day biofilms of <i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> H777, M10 and C17 grown statically on glass slides in LB broth at 37°C. The biofilms were stained with FITC-ConA and monitored under a Nikon Eclipse Ni-U fluorescence microscope (20× magnification). Strains H777 and C17 showed aggregation of surface-adherent bacteria whereas the biofilm mutant, M10, was rarely attached on the glass slide. (B) Confocal laser scanning micrographs of the 2-day biofilms of <i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> H777, M10 and C17 grown statically on glass slides in LB broth at 37°C. The biofilms were stained with FITC-ConA. The crossing lines in each images (x and y axes) indicate the correspondent vertical CLSM section (Z), indicating the thickness of the biofilm. The bars indicate 5 μm. The images were taken using a Zeiss 500 and a Zeiss 800 CLSM microscope (100× magnification).</p

Intracellular survival and multiplication of <i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> H777, M10 and C17 strains in human lung epithelial cells at MOI 10.

<p>The number of bacteria present were enumerated at 4, 8 and 12 h p.i. using the drop plate technique. Data are represented as means ± standard deviation from at least three independent experiments in triplicate wells.</p

Adhesion of <i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> H777, M10 and C17 to human lung epithelial cells at MOI 10.

<p>(A) Percentages of bacterial adhesion were determined by comparing the number of adherent bacteria to the inoculum. The numbers of CFU of cell-associated bacteria were counted after 1 h p.i. using the drop plate technique. Data represent the mean ± standard deviation of triplicates from at least three independent experiments. Asterisks denote statistical significance relative to H777 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). (B) Light microscopic images demonstrating <i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> H777, M10 and C17 adhesion to A549 cells. Bar represents 10 μm. Representative images from Giemsa stained specimens and visualized under 100× magnification.</p

Cytokine production by human lung epithelial cells (A549) in response to infection with <i>B</i>. <i>pseudomallei</i> H777, M10 and C17 strains.

<p>A549 cells were infected at MOI 10 and MOI 100. The culture supernatants were harvested at 8 h p.i. to measure cytokine levels. Data represent the means ± standard errors for triplicate wells of single representative experiments. Each experiment was performed at least three times. Asterisks denote statistical significance (<i>p</i> < 0.05).</p