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Transepithelial prion transport by M cells

Nature Medicine volume 7, pages 976–977 (2001)Cite this article

To the editor

These findings indicate that M-cell differentiation is necessary and sufficient for active transepithelial prion transport in vitro. M-cell–dependent uptake of foreign antigens or particles is known to be followed by rapid transcytosis directly to the intraepithelial pocket, where key players of the immune system, such as macrophages, dendritic cells and lymphocytes2, are located. Because at least some of these immune cells have been shown to be crucially involved in the process of neuroinvasion7, prions might exploit the M-cell–dependent transcytosis to gain access to the immune system. These findings indicate that M cells are a plausible candidate for the mucosal portal of prion infection.

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Figure 1: Prion transcytosis in M-cell–containing cocultures.

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Author notes

  1. Frank L. Heppner and Andreas D. Christ: F.L.H. and A.D.C. contributed equally.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Frank L. Heppner, Michael A. Klein, Marco Prinz & Adriano Aguzzi

  2. Division of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Andreas D. Christ & Michael Fried

  3. ISREC and Institute of Biochemistry University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland

    Jean-Pierre Kraehenbuhl

Authors
  1. Frank L. Heppner
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  2. Andreas D. Christ
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  3. Michael A. Klein
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  4. Marco Prinz
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  5. Michael Fried
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  6. Jean-Pierre Kraehenbuhl
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  7. Adriano Aguzzi
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Heppner, F., Christ, A., Klein, M. et al. Transepithelial prion transport by M cells. Nat Med 7, 976–977 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0901-976

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