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Helicobacter pylori Dwelling on the Apical Surface of Gastrointestinal Epithelium Damages the Mucosal Barrier Through Direct Contact
Author(s) -
Zhang Chen,
Zhang Hongyu,
Yu Lu,
Cao Yi
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
helicobacter
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.206
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1523-5378
pISSN - 1083-4389
DOI - 10.1111/hel.12138
Subject(s) - adherens junction , tight junction , helicobacter pylori , mucin , cell junction , muc1 , microbiology and biotechnology , epithelium , in vitro , biology , bacterial outer membrane , in vivo , apical membrane , chemistry , cadherin , cell , biochemistry , genetics , escherichia coli , gene
Background Epithelial junctions and mucins compose a major portion of the mucosal barrier. H elicobacter pylori ( H . pylori ) infections induce alterations of the tight junctions and adherens junctions in epithelial cells, although the precise mechanisms underlying this process are not fully understood. Methods The expression of adhesion molecules and MUC 1 was systematically investigated in gastrointestinal epithelial cells infected with H . pylori in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we developed several new in vitro methods to study the relationships between the bacterium and the dysfunction of tight junctions using B oyden C hambers. Results The expression of a series of junctional molecules and MUC 1 decreased in the cultured cells that were infected with H . pylori . According to the degree of damage at the tight junctions, direct contact of H . pylori with the apical membrane of the cells resulted in the greatest increase in permeability compared to basal membrane binding or non‐binding of H . pylori to the cells. Similarly, we noted that H . pylori infection could reduce the expression and glycosylation of MUC 1. Conclusions H elicobacter pylori dwelling on the apical surface of the gastrointestinal epithelium could directly induce serious injury of the mucosal barrier, and the new methods outlined here, based on the B oyden C hamber system, could be very useful for studying the relationships between bacteria and their target cells.