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Modes of adherence of Helicobacter pylori to gastric surface epithelium in gastroduodenal disease: A possible sequence of events leading to internalisation
Author(s) -
Papadogiannakis Nikos,
Willen Roger,
Carlen Birgitta,
SjÖStedt Svante,
WadstrÖM Torkel,
Gad Adel
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
apmis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0903-4641
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0463.2000.d01-80.x
Subject(s) - helicobacter pylori , pathogenesis , gastritis , epithelium , disease , gastric mucosa , cytoplasm , stomach , pathology , medicine , gastroenterology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
We have investigated various modes of adherence of Helicobacter pylori to the human gastric epithelium, using transmission electron microscopy, in biopsies from nine patients with peptic ulcer disease and from four patients with chronic active gastritis. H. pylori was demonstrated in abundance in all cases within the surface mucous layer. In all ulcer‐ and in one out of four gastritis patients H. pylori was shown in close proximity to the gastric epithelium, with concurrent alterations in the configuration of microvilli and the apical cytoplasmic region of gastric cells. Previously described modes of H. pylori adherence were confirmed, such as loose attachment with fibrillar‐like strands, firm attachment with pedestal formation, invasion in the intercellular spaces, and invagination with “cup” formation. Moreover, in many cases a fusion between the bacterial outer layer and gastric cell membranes was evident. In four cases (31%; three with active and one with past ulcer disease) viable H. pylori was found in the cytoplasm of gastric mucous cells. Our results support the hypothesis that the different modes of adherence of H. pylori represent a stepwise, possibly sequential, process which in a significant number of cases leads to internalisation of the organism. The invariable occurrence of adhesion and more frequent internalisation of H. pylori in ulcer patients may suggest a link with the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease.