NEW RESULTS: Neisseria meningitidis pili binds to berry polyphenolic fractions

Friday, 08 May 2009 16:11

Bacterial attachment to host tissues is the first step of infection. Blocking this bacterial binding provides novel potential to control infections. Cranberry is known to prevent the adhesion of E. coli, Helicobacter pylori, and mutans streptococci. This study carried out at the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the School of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Kuopio, was directed to binding and inhibitory activity of different berries and fruits against Neisseria meningitidis, which cause meningitis and septicemia. It adheres to human cells by pili which are long and flexible filamentous structures on the surface of bacteria.

Twelve berry or fruit species including bilberry, cloudberry, cranberry, lingonberry, crowberry, apple, black currant, pineapple, red grapefruit, sour cherry, raspberry, and tomato were fractionated according to molecular size into three fractions. Binding of N. meningitidis pili to berry and juice fractions and their ability to inhibit bacterial adhesion to human epithelial cells was studied. The active fractions were then subfractionated by employing solid-phase extraction. Subfractions were characterized by RP-HPLC-DAD, and the pili binding was evaluated by using microtiter well binding assay.

Binding and inhibitory activity were detected to bilberry, cranberry, lingonberry, and crowberry fractions, which contained anthocyanins or a mixture of proanthocyanidins and flavonols. No activity was detected with cloudberries, apple, pineapple, raspberry, or tomato juice. The authors concluded that the findings identify several previously unknown binding and inhibitory activities and may suggest Vaccinium berries and crowberry as promising sources against meningococcal adherence.


Reference:

Toivanen, M., Ryynänen, A., Huttunen, S., Duricová, J., Riihinen, K., Törrönen, R., Lapinjoki, S., Tikkanen-Kaukanen, C. Binding of Neisseria meningitidis pili to berry polyphenolic fractions. J Agric Food Chem 57, 3120-3127, 2009.

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