Ureaplasma parvum Serovar 3 Multiple Banded Antigen Size Variation after Chronic Intra-Amniotic Infection/Colonization

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062746
• Publication Date: 2013-04-26T21:01:31Z
• Authors: James W. Robinson; Samantha J. Dando; Ilias Nitsos; John Newnham; Graeme R. Polglase; Suhas G. Kallapur; J. Jane Pillow; Boris W. Kramer; Alan H. Jobe; Diane Payton; Christine L. Knox
• Keywords: Ureaplasma; Chorioamnionitis; Ureaplasma urealyticum; Mycoplasmataceae

Ureaplasma species are the microorganisms most frequently associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. The multiple banded antigen (MBA), a surface-exposed lipoprotein, is key virulence factor of ureaplasmas. MBA demonstrates size variation, which we have shown previously to be correlated severity chorioamnion inflammation. We aimed investigate U. parvum serovar 3 pathogenesis in vivo, using sheep model, by investigating: variation after long term (chronic) and short (acute) durations utero ureaplasma infections, chorioamnionitis inflammation other fetal tissues. Inocula 2 × 10(7) colony-forming-units (CFU) (Up) or media controls (C) were injected intra-amniotically into pregnant ewes at one three time points: day 55 (69d Up, n = 8; C69, 4); 117 (7d C7, 2); 121 (3d C3, 2) gestation (term 145-150d). At 124, preterm fetuses delivered surgically. Samples chorioamnion, lung, umbilical cord were: (i) snap frozen for subsequent culture, (ii) fixed, embedded, sectioned stained haematoxylin eosin stain histological analysis. Selected lung clinical isolates cloned filtered obtain cultures from single CFU. Passage 1 clone tested western blot demonstrate variation. In acute infection no variants Up) very few present when compared original inoculum. However, numerous generated vivo (alike within contiguous tissues, amniotic fluid but different chorioamnion), during chronic, 69d exposure infection. For first that degree increased duration gestation.