title: Cutting edge: organogenesis of nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) occurs independently of lymphotoxin-alpha (LT alpha) and retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-gamma, but the organization of NALT is LT alpha dependent.
abstract: Peyer's patch and nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) are mucosal lymphoid tissues that appear similar in structure and function. Surprisingly, we found that NALT, unlike Peyer's patch, was formed independently of lymphotoxin (LT)alpha. Furthermore, using mice deficient in the retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-gamma, we found that NALT was formed in the absence of CD4+CD3- cells, which are thought to be the embryonic source of LTalpha. However, we also found that NALT of LTalpha-/- animals was disorganized and lymphopenic, suggesting that the organization and recruitment of lymphocytes within NALT remained dependent on LTalpha. Finally, we demonstrated that both the structure and function of NALT were restored in LTalpha-/- animals upon reconstitution with normal bone marrow. These results demonstrate that the organogenesis of NALT occurs through unique mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Molecular Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harmsen
authors.forename: Kimberley
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kusser
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hartson
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tighe
authors.forename: Mary Jean
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sunshine
authors.forename: Jonathon D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Sedgwick
authors.forename: Yongwon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Dan R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Littman
authors.forename: Troy D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Randall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D011828:Radiation Chimera / Q000276:immunology; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000097768:Retinoic Acid Receptor gamma
chemical_list: D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D000097768:Retinoic Acid Receptor gamma