Mucosal immune mechanism identified

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Japanese scientists say they've discovered how specialized mucosal cells in the intestine identify, capture and destroy germs that make people sick.

Researchers at Yokohama City University and Japan's Riken Institute said mucosal cells lining the intestines comprise the largest part of the body's immune system. The cells secrete the antibody Immunoglobin A when specialized microfold cells capture pathogens and transport them through the mucosa to lymphoid structures in the intestines. But how the cells accomplish that task has not been known until now, the researchers said.

In the new study, the scientists said they demonstrated, for the first time, how a specific protein on the outer membrane of microfold cells serves as a receptor for bacteria, capturing them and then rapidly instigating immune responses. Researchers found the protein binds to bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella by recognizing hair-like structures on the surface of the bacterial cell.

The scientists said their finding could lead to the development of oral vaccines, offering easy-to-administer and cost-effective ways to combat infectious diseases and allergies.

The research appears in the journal Nature.