An immunohistochemical detection of actin and myosin in the indigenous bacteria-adhering sites of microvillous columnar epithelial cells in Peyer's patches and intestinal villi in the rat jejunoileum.

The mechanism of physical elimination of indigenous bacteria was ultrastructurally and immunohistochemically investigated in microvillous columnar epithelial cells of Peyer's patches and intestinal villi of the rat jejunoileum. From ultrastructural observation, the microfilaments accumulated to form several electron-dense layers beneath the bacteria adhering to the cell membrane, which was slightly invaginated in the epithelial cells of Peyer's patches and intestinal villi. As the microfilamentous layers were forming, the end portions of invaginations were deformed into a cone-shape and were finally collapsed. At the same time, the end portions of the adhered bacteria were also deformed into cone-shapes. The bacterial cells were moved back toward the invagination orifices with no morphological change in their inner structure. From immunohistochemical observation, β-actin and nonmuscle-type myosin were detected at the thin layer just beneath the invaginated cell membrane. These findings suggest that indigenous bacteria which adhere to epithelial cells are removed by only a physical action of actin and myosin filaments, but are not killed. This bacterial cell removal system might lead to the establishment of a settlement of indigenous bacteria on host cells.