Abstract
Renal scarring is thought to be end-stage of chronic pyelonephritis and one of important causes of renal insufficiency and renal hypertension. Significance of bacterial pili was examined in scar formation by the use of artificial variants which possessed either MR or MS pili of S. marcescens, and the result described below was obtained. MS piliated bacteria stimulated renal scarring more severely than MR piliated bacteria. This scarring mediated by MS piliated bacteria was prevented by superoxide dismutase.
These findings suggested that the MS pili stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes to release large amount of superoxide and this superoxide damaged the renal tissue, resulted in the renal scar.
