Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow, Russia
Aim. To develop model of chronic brucellosis infection in macrophage-like cells in vitro and to study properties of persistence of Brucella in them. Materials and methods. Infection of macrophage-like cells U937 and phagocytes B10.MLM with analysis of B.melitensis 16M intracellular growth and persistence. Results. Dependence of intracellular growth and persistence of B.melitensis 16M strain in macrophages U937 from infection"s multiplicity (IM) and activation of U937 cells, but not from preliminary intracellular adaptation of Brucella was demonstrated. Main parameters of infection (IM, centrifugation during phagocytosis, and time of phagocytosis) with B.melitensis 16M strain was modeled and their influence on persistence of the strain in B10.MLM phagocytes was studied. Centrifugation during phagocytosis resulted in development of long-lasting persistence of B.melitensis 16M in B10.MLM phagocytes. Differences in persistence of Brucella in B10.MLM phagocytes compared with U937 macrophages were demonstrated. Conclusion. Intracellular persistence of Brucella in B10.MLM phagocytes depends from high antibacterial activity of the latter. Phagocytes B10.MLM could be used in assays for testing chemical compounds" activities against intracellular invasion and persistence of Brucella on early stages of infection.
Zh. Mikrobiol. (Moscow), 2009, No. 4, P. 19—23