title: Immunoglobulin-free light chains mediate antigen-specific responses of murine dorsal root ganglion neurons.
abstract: Immunoglobulin-free light chains (IgLC) secreted by B lymphocytes, have been shown to mediate hypersensitivity by inducing antigen-specific mast cell activation. Although both mast cells and sensory neurons contribute to the hypersensitivity response, the role of IgLC in relation to sensory neurons is unknown. We therefore aimed to investigate the effects of IgLC on cultures of murine dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that IgLC and IgE could specifically bind to DRG neurons, on which the presence of FcepsilonRI, the specific receptor for IgE, was demonstrated by western blotting. Further, optical recordings with Fluo-4 showed that application of the corresponding antigen to IgLC- or IgE-sensitized DRG neurons induces a sustained increase in intracellular Ca(2+) in about half of these neurons. These results show that IgLC and IgE can mediate antigen-specific responses in murine neurons. Our findings present a novel way of antigen-specific neuronal activation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology & Pathophysiology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anneke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rijnierse
authors.forename: Alfons B A
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kroese
authors.forename: Frank A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Redegeld
authors.forename: Bart R J
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Blokhuis
authors.forename: Maurice W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: van der Heijden
authors.forename: Andries S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Koster
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Timmermans
authors.forename: Frans P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Nijkamp
authors.forename: Aletta D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Kraneveld
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007073:Immunoglobulin E