Expression and distribution of immunoglobulin G and its receptors in an immune privileged site: the eye.
It has recently been demonstrated that not only mature B lymphocytes, but also non-lymphoid cells, including cancer cells and neurons, express IgG. In the eye, an important immune privileged site, the presence of IgG has been ascribed to IgG entering the eye through breaches of the blood–ocular barrier. Here we demonstrate that the eye itself can produce IgG intrinsically. Applying immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and RT-PCR, several intraocular structures were found to express proteins and mRNA transcripts of IgG heavy chains, light chains, V(D)J rearrangements, and enzymes required for V(D)J recombination. IgG receptors were also detected in the intraocular epithelium and endothelium. The extensive distribution of IgG and its receptors in intraocular structures indicates that locally produced IgG could play a significant role in maintaining the ocular microenvironment and protection of the eyes, and it might also be involved in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration and some inflammatory diseases.
Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Na
N
Niu
Jie
J
Zhang
Yingui
Y
Sun
Shuna
S
Wang
Yonghong
Y
Sun
Christine
C
Korteweg
Weiwei
W
Gao
Jiang
J
Gu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005123:Eye / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008875:Middle Aged; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050441:VDJ Exons / Q000235:genetics
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C499311:RAG2 protein, human; D017452:Receptors, IgG; C064658:RAG-1 protein