title: Interfaces between dendritic cells, other immune cells, and nerve fibres in mouse Peyer's patches: potential sites for neuroinvasion in prion diseases.
abstract: In this study, we examined where immune cells and nerve fibres are located in mouse Peyer's patches, with a view to identifying potential sites for neuroinvasion by prions. Special attention was paid to dendritic cells, viewed as candidate transporters of infectious prion. Double immunofluorescence labellings with anti-CD11c antibody and marker for other immune cells (B cells, T cells, follicular dendritic cells) were carried out and analysed by confocal microscopy on Peyer's patch cryosections. To reveal the extensive ganglionated networks of the myenteric and submucosal plexi and the sparse meshworks of nerve strands, we used antibodies directed against different neurofilament subunits or against glial fibrillary acidic protein. In the suprafollicular dome, dendritic cells connect, via their cytoplasmic extensions, enterocytes with M cells of the follicle-associated epithelium. They are also close to B and T cells. Nerve fibres are detected in the suprafollicular dome, notably in contact with dendritic cells. Similar connections between dendritic cells, T cells, and nerve fibres are seen in the interfollicular region. Germinal centres are not innervated; inside them dendritic cells establish contacts with follicular dendritic cells and with B cells. After immunolabelling of normal prion protein, dendritic cells of the suprafollicular dome are intensely positive labelled.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Histology, Immunology Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Liège, B-4020 Liège, Belgium. valerie.defaweux@ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Defaweux
authors.forename: Gauthier
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dorban
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Demonceau
authors.forename: Joëlle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piret
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Jolois
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Thellin
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thielen
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heinen
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Antoine
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D039521:CD11c Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005629:Frozen Sections; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism*; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000378:metabolism*; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D039521:CD11c Antigen; D018621:PrPC Proteins