Specific adherence of Escherichia coli (strain RDEC-1) to membranous (M) cells of the Peyer's patch in Escherichia coli diarrhea in the rabbit.
The RDEC-1 strain Escherichia coli is an enteroadherent bacterium that produces diarrhea in the rabbit. A histopathologically similar disease has been described in humans. The RDEC-1 bacterium adheres to the epithelium of lymphoid follicles in rabbit ileal Peyer's patches by 4 h postinoculation, 3-4 d before its adherence to absorptive epithelium. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the RDEC-1 bacterium adheres to a specific cell type in the lymphoid follicle epithelium. RDEC-1 bacteria were given in a dose of 2 X 10(6) by the orogastric route to postweanling rabbits. The distal ileal Peyer's patch, taken from 5 control rabbits and 43 rabbits at intervals in the first 24 h postinoculation, was examined by routine and high-voltage electron microscopy. The RDEC-1 bacterium adhered specifically to M (membranous) rather than absorptive epithelial cells of the lymphoid follicle epithelium. Further understanding of how the bacterium attaches to M cells, which transport antigens to intraepithelial lymphocytes, could be useful in designing vaccines to protect mucosal surfaces.
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000382:microbiology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011817:Rabbits