title: Induction of MHC class II gene products in rat intestinal epithelium during graft-versus-host disease and effects on the immune function of the epithelium.
abstract: The induction of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II expression in the epithelium of the small intestine of the rat during graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and the effect of this process on the capacity of isolated epithelial cells to present antigen has been investigated. By immunohistology, increased class II (I-A) was noted in lamina propria cells and villus epithelium and de novo expression in crypt epithelium by Day 7 after transfer of parental spleen cells into irradiated hybrid rats. This increased expression reached a maximum by Day 9 or 10. The kinetics of induction of I-E products paralleled those of I-A in villus epithelium, but I-E was not seen in crypt epithelium. Direct radioimmunoassay of class II in isolated villus and crypt epithelial cells revealed a minor peak of class II, particularly in villus cells, very soon after cell transfer which waned and then increased to a second peak at Days 7-9. Assay of presentation of ovalbumin by isolated enterocytes to primed T cells at the peak of class II induction showed that increased class II expression by villus cells mediated enhanced antigen-presenting activity, whereas increases in crypt cell class II did not enable these cells to present ovalbumin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bristol, Langford, U.K.
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Bland
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Whiting
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology*; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology