title: Lymphocyte compartments in antigen-sampling regions of rabbit mucosal lymphoid organs.
abstract: Uptake and delivery of antigens to immunocompetent cells in the gut are critical factors for the development of oral vaccines. Particulate antigens are transported within minutes by M cells to intraepithelial lymphocytes and into the follicle dome. The dome contains B cells, CD4+ T cells, and macrophages, indicating that the cells involved in antigen presentation are located below the dome's epithelium. The high number of M cells in rabbits and the development of monoclonal antibodies against rabbit lymphocytes have enabled the detailed study of lymphocytes associated with M cells. The follicle epithelium of rabbit Peyer's patches contains B cells and a population of CD4-/CD8-, major histocompatibility complex class II+ mononuclear cells of unknown function. These cells are phenotypically distinct from T cells in follicle domes, in T cell-dependent areas, in villus epithelium, or in villus lamina propria. In addition, lymphocytes in M-cell pockets express an activation antigen (3B6) not found on CD4+ or CD8+ cells in T cell-dependent areas. These results indicate that M-cell pocket lymphocytes in follicle epithelium form a phenotypically distinct compartment situated at the interface between M-cell-driven antigen uptake and the mucosal immune system.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine Delivery Research Section, OraVax, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Ermak
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Bhagat
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pappo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D000954:Antigens, Surface