The binding of type 1 fimbriae from Escherichia coli to vital human neutrophilic granulocytes was inhibited by synthetic trivalent cluster mannosides. Binding of type 1 fimbriae was measured in a flow cytometric assay. Based on the molarity of mannosyl residues, the clusters exceed the inhibitory potency of methyl alpha-D-mannoside by a factor of more than 1,000 and the inhibitory potency of p-nitrophenyl alpha-D-mannoside by a factor of more than 10. The inhibition studies indicate that the trivalent cluster mannosides are very potent inhibitors of the binding of type 1 fimbriae to human neutrophilic granulocytes. Based on their defined structure, cluster mannosides are well suited for characterizing the molecular interactions of mannose-sensitive fimbriae with their cell membrane receptors.
