Selective expression of beta 7 integrin on lymphocytes undergoing apoptosis in lymphoid tissues.
It has been previously shown that the beta 7 chain of integrin forms heterodimers with the alpha 4 or alpha E chain, which plays essential roles in lymphocyte homing to mucosal lymphoid tissues. The aim of this study was to re-evaluate the possible role of the beta 7 integrin other than lymphocyte homing. We prepared spleen and lymph node lymphocytes from biopsied specimens from macaque monkeys and examined for the reactivity with a monoclonal antibody specific for the beta 7 chain. As a result, a minor population of the lymphocytes with a smaller size, which were in the early stage of apoptosis, was found to express a higher level of the beta 7 integrin than a majority of the lymphocytes with a normal size. Interestingly, the apoptotic lymphocytes expressed neither alpha 4 nor alpha E chains, suggesting that the beta 7 chain on these cells may be associated with an undefined alpha chain. These findings indicate that in the lymphoid tissues the shrunken lymphocytes undergoing apoptosis selectively express a unique beta 7 integrin.
Akari
H
H
Department of Virology, School of Medicine, University of Tokushima, Japan. akari@basic.med.tokushima-u.ac.jp
Yagita
H
H
Nishida
T
T
Nakamaru
K
K
Terao
K
K
Yoshikawa
Y
Y
Adachi
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D048429:Cell Size; D006801:Humans; D039641:Integrin beta Chains; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D008251:Macaca; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D039641:Integrin beta Chains; D016023:Integrins; C091368:integrin beta7