Human enterocyte adhesion of enteroadherent Escherichia coli

Abstract

Esch. coli strains manifesting localised (17), diffuse (8) or aggregative (17) phenotypes of adherence to HEp-2 cells were tested for their ability to adhere to human enterocytes isolated from duodenal biopsies of adult volunteers to obtain further evidence of their enteropathogenecity. Esch. coli strains H10407+; CFAI+ and LT+ STp+ STh+, F 294 B; a localised adherent strain positive with entero-adherent factor probe reported previously to attach to small intestinal enterocytes and F 582 C; LT- STp+ STh+ were the positive controls: H10407P (CFAI- mutant of H10407+) and K12 served as negative control strains. Adherence of variable degree was seen with 35.3 per cent of enteroaggregative Esch. coli (EAggEc) and with 58.8 per cent of enteroadherent Esch. coli localised (EAEC-L); EAEC-diffuse (EAEC-D) did not adhere to the human enterocytes. The possibility that EAgg EC and diffuse phenotypes may adhere better to lower small intestine or the large intestine, needs to be investigated.