Differential role of M cells in enteroid infection bysubsp.andserovar Typhimurium.

Abstract

Infection of ruminants such as cattle withsubsp(MAP) causes Johne's disease, a disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the small intestine and diarrhoea. Infection with MAP is acquired via the faecal-to-oral route and the pathogen initially invades the epithelial lining of the small intestine. In this study we used an3D mouse enteroid model to determine the influence of M cells in infection of the gut epithelia by MAP, in comparison with another bacterial intestinal pathogen of veterinary importance,serovar Typhimurium. The differentiation of M cells in the enteroid cultures was induced by stimulation with the cytokine receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), and the effects on MAP anduptake and intracellular survival were determined. The presence of M cells in the cultures correlated with increased uptake and intracellular survival of, but had no effect on MAP. Interestingly neither pathogen was observed to preferentially accumulate within GP2-positive M cells.