Distinct gene expression profiles characterize cellular phenotypes of follicle-associated epithelium and M cells.
Follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) covering Peyer's patches contains specialized epithelial M cells that take up ingested macromolecules and microorganisms from the lumen of the gut by transcytosis. Using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays, we analyzed the gene expression profiles of FAE and M cells in order to characterize their cellular phenotypes. The microarray data revealed that, among approximately 14,000 genes, 409 were expressed in FAE at twofold or higher levels compared to the intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) of the villi. These included genes involved in membrane traffic, host defense and transcriptional regulation, as well as uncharacterized genes. Real-time PCR and in situ hybridization analyses identified three molecules, ubiquitin D (Ub-D), tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily 12a (TNFRsf12a), and transmembrane 4 superfamily 4 (Tm4sf4), which were predominantly distributed throughout FAE, but were expressed little, if at all, in IECs. By contrast, transcripts of secretory granule neuroendocrine protein 1 (Sgne-1) were scattered in FAE, and were co-localized with Ulex europaeus agglutinin-1 (UEA-1)-positive cells. This clearly suggests that expression of Sgne-1 in the gut is specific to M cells. Such a unique pattern of gene expression distinguishes FAE and M cells from IECs, and may reflect their cellular phenotype(s) associated with specific functional features.
Hase
Koji
K
Laboratory of Epithelial Immunobiology, Research Center for Allergy and Immunology, RIKEN Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
Ohshima
Sayaka
S
Kawano
Kazuya
K
Hashimoto
Noriko
N
Matsumoto
Kenji
K
Saito
Hirohisa
H
Ohno
Hiroshi
H
D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D051859:Neuroendocrine Secretory Protein 7B2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000378:metabolism*; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism*
D051859:Neuroendocrine Secretory Protein 7B2; D020543:Proteome; C497679:Sgne1 protein, mouse