Immunologic competence of the bronchi in the rabbit: the IgA-mediated plaque-forming response to intratracheally injected sheep erythrocytes.
Immune responses to intratracheally injected sheep erythrocytes in rabbits were investigated in bronchi, thoracic lymph nodes (TLN), mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) and spleen using an IgA-mediated haemolytic plaque-assay. The time-course appearance of specific IgA antibody forming cells (IgA-AFC) was studied in each tissue after primary and secondary immunizations. Overall low splenic and MLN responses suggest weak systemic and intestinal immunizations, respectively. Peak IgA-AFC concentrations occurred in TLN five days after priming and, in a lesser extent, three days after the booster. Conversely, the bronchial response was delayed, progressive and enhanced by the re-immunization. These results strongly suggest that bronchial-derived, IgA-precommitted cells are the major source of these specific IgA-AFC which concentrate in bronchi and that, before homing in the submucosa, they accumulate transiently in the TLN.
D000818:Animals; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000276:immunology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008482:Mediastinum; D011817:Rabbits; D012756:Sheep; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013909:Thorax; D014132:Trachea
D007070:Immunoglobulin A