title: Developmental study of immunocompetent cells in the bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) from Wistar rats.
abstract: The aim of the present report was to study in growing Wistar rats the development of immunocompetent cells in the bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT). We found at day 4 postpartum, a high number of TCRgamma/delta+ T cells and very few CD8alpha+, CD8beta+, CD5+, TCRalpha/beta+ T cells in BALT. The latter cells and CD4+ T cells increase with age. Even though T cells expressing TCRgamma/delta outnumber those expressing TCRalpha/beta early in development, until 45 days of age, alpha/beta+ predominate over gamma/delta+ T cells only in adult rats (60 days of age). Moreover, a predominance of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells over T-helper cells was found in 60 days old rats. Surprisingly, more CD8alpha+ than CD8beta+ T cells in BALT are observed. The number of IgA+ B and CD4+ T cells found in the BALT increases with age. The early appearance - 4 days of age - of all T-cell phenotypes in BALT especially of gamma/delta+ T cells may imply a benefit to respond to inhaled antigen soon after birth.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, CONICET, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Márquez
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Sosa
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Roux
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018956:CD5 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D018956:CD5 Antigens; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta