ADHESION OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI AND ESCHERICHIA-COLI TO HUMAN AND BOVINE SURFACE MUCUS CELLS IN-VITRO

Helicobacter pylori shows in vivo a specific affinity for epithelial s urface mucus cells (SMC) of the human stomach. We studied the in vitro adhesion of five different H. pylori strains and one non-pathogenic E scherichia coli-strain to (a) human antral SMC, obtained during gastro scopy; (b) human tumour SMC, from a carcinoma cell line (CRL 1739 AGS) ; and (c) bovine SMC, obtained from the abomasum. SMC of different ori gin were characterized by means of electron microscopy and immunohisto chemistry, and showed similar main features: all cells showed intra-ce llular structures like zymogens and PAS-positive mucin granules. HSMC were antibody-positive against epithelial cell markers. All five H. py lori strains adhered to human SMC (HSMC) and tumour SMC (TSMC). Only o ne strain additionally adhered to bovine SMC (BSMC). No adhesion to an y of these cells was observed with E. coli. Adhesion in vitro is chara cterized by a close membrane-to-membrane association between H. pylori and the target cells. This phenomenon suggests a specific receptor-li gand interaction.