Nutrient chemotactic agents and the in vitro selective control of bacterial colonization.

Certain nutrient chemotactic agents after 3-18 hours of incubation with viable mammalian cells in culture can cause significant alterations in subsequent attachment of Escherichia coli to the mammalian (receptor) cells. Results were amongst the most significant with an essentially non-oxidizable amino acid analogue. Differences obtained were dependent upon the number of washings of the receptor cells after incubation with the chemotactic agents and the incubation concentrations. All E. coli isolates tested readily displayed chemotaxis, yet significant differences in adherence were observed with the minority of 16 chemotactic agents, two receptor cell lines, six E. coli and one Salmonella typhi studied. This is most likely due to poor localization of these agents in the outer layers of viable mammalian receptor cells, metabolism of the agents, or both. Some nutrient chemotactic agents may facilitate the selective control of bacterial colonization or infection.