title: Specific antibody synthesis and biliary secretion by the rat liver after intestinal immunization with cholera toxin.
abstract: This study was designed to investigate the location, specificity, and significance of antibody-containing cells in the liver. After intestinal administration of cholera toxin, high numbers of specific antibody-containing cells appeared in the liver during the early priming period and after boosting. In contrast, a significant number of specific antibody-containing cells appeared in the lamina propria of the intestine only after boosting. In the liver, the specific antibody-containing cells were predominantly located in the sinusoidal region of zone 1 of the liver lobules. About 80% of the specific antibody-producing cells in the liver synthesized anticholera toxin antibody of the immunoglobulin A class. During the priming period, the concentration of immunoglobulin A anticholera toxin in bile paralleled the increase and decrease in the number of specific antibody-containing cells in the liver. Liver perfusion experiments indicated that during the priming period at least 70% of the biliary immunoglobulin A anticholera toxin antibody was synthesized within the liver, whereas 30% was synthesized in the liver after boosting. Thus, during the early immune response, the liver seems to be the major source for specific biliary antibody to intestinally administered cholera toxin.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001646:Bile / Q000276:immunology; D002452:Cell Count; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D002772:Cholera Toxin