Role of Burkholderia pseudomallei in the invasion, replication and induction of apoptosis in human epithelial cell lines.

Burkholderia pseudomallei is a bacterial pathogen causing melioidosis. In the present study, we demonstrated the effects of B. pseudomallei capsular polysaccharide on the invasion, intracellular replication, induction of cytotoxicity and apoptosis of human epithelial HeLa and A549 cells. The B. pseudomallei capsule mutant had a significantly greater ability to invade both cell lines (p < 0.05). The B. pseudomallei capsule mutant had a greater ability to induce apoptosis in A549 cells than wild type B. pseudomallei. These results indicate the capsular polysaccharide of B. pseudomallei plays an important role in inhibiting invasion by the bacteria but has no effect on intracellular multiplication, induction of cytotoxicity or apoptosis in epithelial cells.