Binding selectivity of Streptococcus pyogenes and M-protein to epithelial cells differs from that of lipoteichoic acid

The ability of M-protein-positive (M super(+)) and M-protein-negative (M super(-)) strains (including an M super(-) mutant lacking the structural gene for M-protein) of Streptococcus pyogenes) to attach to human pharyngeal, and tongue epithelial cells was compared. M super(+) strains of S. pyogenes) attached in higher numbers to human pharyngeal epithelial cells than to human buccal or tongue cells. M super(-) strains did not exhibit high-level binding to any type of epithelial cell. Adhesion of an M super(+) and an M super(-) strain of S. pyogenes) was low to all types of rat epithelial cells. The differences in the surface components between human pharyngeal and buccal epithelial cells were confirmed by studies utilizing radiolabeled lectins. Ulex europaeus lectin with a specificity for fucosyl residues, and Triticum vulgaris lectin with a specificity for N-acetyl glucosamine and N-acetyl neuraminic acid residues, bound in higher amounts to human pharyngeal cells than to buccal cells.