title: Distribution of beta 7 integrins in human intestinal mucosa and organized gut-associated lymphoid tissue.
abstract: Two alternative integrins involved in mucosal homing (alpha 4 beta 7) or epithelial retention (alpha E beta 7) of lymphocytes were examined in the human gut. The distribution of the beta 7 subunit [monoclonal antibody (mAb) M301] was bimodal in that it was strongly expressed by alpha E beta 7 + cells but weakly by alpha 4 beta 7 + cells. More than 90% of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), including the minor subsets of CD4+, T-cell receptor (TCR) gamma/delta +, and CD3- cells, expressed alpha E beta 7 as did most lamina propria CD8+ (88%) and a fraction (36%) of CD4+ lymphocytes. Conversely, B-lineage cells (CD19+) and macrophages (CD68+) were negative. In gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT: Peyer's patches and appendix) only a few (< 5%) cells were positive for alpha E beta 7 (confined to CD8+ lymphocytes and CD11c+ putative dendritic cells). A relatively small fraction of IEL (30-50%) expressed alpha 4 beta 7 (mAb Act-1), while most (70%) lamina propria T and B lymphocytes, blasts, plasma cells and macrophages were positive. In GALT, T lymphocytes expressed similar levels of alpha 4 beta 7 as in the lamina propria whereas relatively few B lymphocytes (< 50%) were positive. Isolated lamina propria CD8+, CD4+, CD19+, and CD38+ cells contained mRNA for alpha 4 and the former three subsets as well as appendix CD8+ cells also for beta 7 while only lamina propria CD8+ cells had mRNA for alpha E. Together, the results suggested that alpha E beta 7 and alpha 4 beta 7 are differentially regulated in inductive sites and effector sites of the human gut. Because lymphoid cells at both sites expressed mainly alpha 4 beta 7, this integrin may be a homing receptor on memory and effector cells bound for lamina propria as well as on naive lymphocytes extravasating in GALT. Conversely, because alpha E beta 7 was mainly expressed by CD8+ cells in epithelium and lamina propria, it was probably induced after extravasation, in agreement with the observation that IEL and a fraction of lamina propria T lymphocytes (mainly CD8+ cells) generally expressed higher levels of beta 7 than most CD4+ and B cells. Also a subset of putative dendritic cells located near the follicle-associated epithelium of GALT expressed alpha E beta 7, perhaps reflecting epithelial interaction during primary immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Immunohistochemistry and Immunopathology (LIIPAT), University of Oslo, National Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: I N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Farstad
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Halstensen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lien
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kilshaw
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Lazarovits
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brandtzaeg
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Lazarovitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D039641:Integrin beta Chains; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D039641:Integrin beta Chains; D016023:Integrins; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; C071777:integrin alpha4beta7; C070709:integrin alphaEbeta7; C091368:integrin beta7