BACKGROUNDVibrio vulnificus (Vv) is an estuarine bacterium that can cause primary septicemia as well as serious wound infections. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which Vv infects dendritic cells (DCs) and its effects on cytoskeleton. In this study, we aimed to investigate the invasion, internalization, and the organelles damage of the cultured dendritic cells (a DC 2.4 strain) during Vv infection.

METHODSThe study model was the cultured DCs infected by a Vv 1.758 strain. Electron microscopy was used to observe the localization of bacteria at the different time points of infection, cell morphology, and the process of organelles changes. The cytoskeleton structure including the microfilaments and the microtubules rearrangement was examined under a fluorescence microscope.

RESULTSThe Vv were pinocytosised into the DC cells through double-sides, and localized at 1 - 2 mm of the inner side membrane. It took 1.3, 1.9, and 3.4 hours to reach the infection ratio of 25%, 50%, and 75%, respectively. Using electron microscopy, the DCs had been observed to have developed chromatin aggregation within 4.0 hours, and significant cytoskeleton structure disruption was noted within 6.0 hours.

CONCLUSIONThe high lethality of Vv infection may be associated with the direct disruption of the DCs cytoskeleton structure.