T-cell adherence to lacrimal gland: the event responsible for IgA plasma cell predominance in lacrimal gland.
The majority of immunoglobulin in tears in various species is of the IgA isotype and is produced mainly by plasma cells of the lacrimal gland. The mechanism responsible for lodging of IgA committed cells in lacrimal gland is unknown, but could occur as a result of retained T helper cells in the lacrimal gland. The present experiments use an in-vitro adherence assay to examine the interaction of various murine lymphocyte populations with frozen sections of mouse lacrimal gland. Splenic and Peyer's Patch lymphocytes, as well as T-cell enriched and T-cell depleted lymphocyte populations were incubated with thin sections of lacrimal gland. Adherent lymphocytes were counted in randomly selected fields for each experiment. Each lymphocyte population was tested at least three times. It was found that more Peyer's Patch cells adhered to lacrimal gland than did spleen cells, and this increase was due to T-cells. The T-cell population responsible for adherence was localized to the helper T-cell population which appeared greater with Peyer's Patch T helper cells than splenic T helper cells. The data suggest that a lacrimal gland-T-cell interaction could retard the migration of a subpopulation of T helper cells as they migrate through the lacrimal gland. It is speculated that such T helper cells could be responsible for the terminal differentiation of IgA B cells to plasma cells, thus explaining the predominance of IgA plasma cells in the lacrimal gland.
Franklin
R M
RM
Department of Ophthalmology, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans 70112.
Shepard
K F
KF
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D005260:Female; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis*; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000502:physiology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000502:physiology*
D007070:Immunoglobulin A