Major histocompatibility complex protein expression on pancreas and pancreatic islet endocrine cell subsets.
To determine which cells in the human and rat pancreas and islets express class I and II histocompatibility complex proteins, double indirect immunofluorescence and the Staphylococcus aureus rosette method were used. Islet preparations used permitted positive endocrine and class I or II protein identification. Class I and II proteins were expressed in pancreatic vascular endothelium and passenger cells of the mononuclear cell type. Antibodies directed to class I or beta 2 microglobulin reacted with dispersed islet B, A, and D cells, whereas class II protein antibodies were associated with only islet B and A cells. Islet B-cell class II proteins decreased after 20 days of in vitro culture. These results suggest that 1) a variety of pancreas and islet nonendocrine cells can express class I and II proteins, 2) normal pancreatic islet endocrine cells not only express class I proteins but also class II proteins, and 3) in vitro islet culture results in reduced expression of class II proteins by islet B cells.
Lautenschlager
I
I
IV Department of Surgery, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Inkinen
K
K
Taskinen
E
E
Charles
M A
MA
Hayry
P
P
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006728:Hormones / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats
D006728:Hormones; D007106:Immune Sera; D011506:Proteins