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Bacteria display differential growth and adhesion characteristics on human hair shafts

Kerk, Swat Kim ; Lai, Hui Ying ; Sze, Siu Kwan ; Ng, Kee Woei ; Schmidtchen, Artur LU and Adav, Sunil S. (2018) In Frontiers in Microbiology 9(SEP).
Abstract

Apart from the skin surface, hair represents a significant tissue component with a capacity of bacterial interactions. New information can be obtained about hair function through the characterization of bacterial adherence, colonization, and responses to hair shafts per se. In this proof-of-principle study, we examine the growth kinetics of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli in the presence of human hair shafts. We explore the ability of these bacteria to adhere to and colonize hair shaft surfaces, as well as the resulting impact on the hair's surface morphology. We show that hair shafts inhibit the growth of Gram-positive S. aureus and S.... (More)

Apart from the skin surface, hair represents a significant tissue component with a capacity of bacterial interactions. New information can be obtained about hair function through the characterization of bacterial adherence, colonization, and responses to hair shafts per se. In this proof-of-principle study, we examine the growth kinetics of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli in the presence of human hair shafts. We explore the ability of these bacteria to adhere to and colonize hair shaft surfaces, as well as the resulting impact on the hair's surface morphology. We show that hair shafts inhibit the growth of Gram-positive S. aureus and S. epidermidis, while the growth kinetics of P. aeruginosa and E. coli remain unaffected. Scanning electron microscope analysis and steeping studies show that P. aeruginosa and E. coli to adhere to and colonize on human hair shafts without significantly affecting the hair shaft's surface morphology. P. aeruginosa produced a substantial amount of biofilm on the hair shaft surfaces, while E. coli specifically inhabited the edges of the cuticle scales. Taken together, our results demonstrate differences in bacterial responses to human hair shafts, which may provide novel insights into hair and scalp health.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
E. coli, Hair shaft, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, S. epidermidis
in
Frontiers in Microbiology
volume
9
issue
SEP
article number
2145
publisher
Frontiers Media S. A.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85053063176
  • pmid:30245682
ISSN
1664-302X
DOI
10.3389/fmicb.2018.02145
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f1cac61f-b415-46d3-8319-92b1d36d7c6f
date added to LUP
2018-10-12 07:51:08
date last changed
2024-06-24 21:42:42
@article{f1cac61f-b415-46d3-8319-92b1d36d7c6f,
  abstract     = {{<p>Apart from the skin surface, hair represents a significant tissue component with a capacity of bacterial interactions. New information can be obtained about hair function through the characterization of bacterial adherence, colonization, and responses to hair shafts per se. In this proof-of-principle study, we examine the growth kinetics of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli in the presence of human hair shafts. We explore the ability of these bacteria to adhere to and colonize hair shaft surfaces, as well as the resulting impact on the hair's surface morphology. We show that hair shafts inhibit the growth of Gram-positive S. aureus and S. epidermidis, while the growth kinetics of P. aeruginosa and E. coli remain unaffected. Scanning electron microscope analysis and steeping studies show that P. aeruginosa and E. coli to adhere to and colonize on human hair shafts without significantly affecting the hair shaft's surface morphology. P. aeruginosa produced a substantial amount of biofilm on the hair shaft surfaces, while E. coli specifically inhabited the edges of the cuticle scales. Taken together, our results demonstrate differences in bacterial responses to human hair shafts, which may provide novel insights into hair and scalp health.</p>}},
  author       = {{Kerk, Swat Kim and Lai, Hui Ying and Sze, Siu Kwan and Ng, Kee Woei and Schmidtchen, Artur and Adav, Sunil S.}},
  issn         = {{1664-302X}},
  keywords     = {{E. coli; Hair shaft; P. aeruginosa; S. aureus; S. epidermidis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  number       = {{SEP}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Microbiology}},
  title        = {{Bacteria display differential growth and adhesion characteristics on human hair shafts}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.02145}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/fmicb.2018.02145}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}