title: The distribution of E-cadherin expression in listeric rhombencephalitis of ruminants indicates its involvement in Listeria monocytogenes neuroinvasion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of E-cadherin, a major host cell receptor for Listeria monocytogenes (LM) internalin A, in the ruminant nervous system and its putative role in brainstem invasion and intracerebral spread of LM in the natural disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry and double immunofluorescence was performed on brains, cranial nerves and ganglia of ruminants with and without natural LM rhombencephalitis using antibodies against E-cadherin, protein gene product 9.5, myelin-associated glycoprotein and LM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the ruminant brain, E-cadherin is expressed in choroid plexus epithelium, meningothelium and restricted neuropil areas of the medulla, but not in the endothelium. In cranial nerves and ganglia, E-cadherin is expressed in satellite cells and myelinating Schwann cells. Expression does not differ between ruminants with or without listeriosis and does not overlap with the presence of microabscesses in the medulla. LM is observed in phagocytes, axons, Schwann cells, satellite cells and ganglionic neurones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support the view that the specific ligand-receptor interaction between LM and host E-cadherin is involved in the neuropathogenesis of ruminant listeriosis. They suggest that oral epithelium and Schwann cells expressing E-cadherin provide a port of entry for free bacteria offering a site of primary intracellular replication, from where the bacterium may invade the axonal compartment by cell-to-cell spread. As E-cadherin expression in the ruminant central nervous system is weak, only very locally restricted and not related to the presence of microabscesses, it is likely that further intracerebral spread is independent of E-cadherin and relies primarily on axonal spread.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Small Animal Clinics, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Madarame
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seuberlich
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abril
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zurbriggen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vandevelde
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oevermann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D002831:Choroid Plexus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006041:Goats; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins