The HUMAN SECRETORY IMMUNOGLOBULIN SYSTEM: IMMUNOHISTOLOGICAL LOCALIZATION OF ΓA, SECRETORY "PIECE," AND LACTOFERRIN IN NORMAL HUMAN TISSUES

Abstract

Studies from a number of laboratories have suggested that a local immunological system supplies immunoglobulins to the fluids that bathe certain mucous membrane surfaces. The predominance of 5'A producing plasma cells in the lamina propria of the rectum and colon (1-5), stomach (6--8), duodenum, and jejunum (1, 8, 9) has been reported. Furthermore, 3,A-producing plasma cells have been shown to predominate in the bronchial (10-11) and nasal (7) mucosa as well as in the parotid (12) salivary gland.Immunofluorescent studies of human parofid salivary gland (12) showed that secretory "piece" was localized in acinar and ductular epithelial cells while "~A was restricted to plasma cells of the intersfifium, as well as the lumen of the glandular acini and ducts. On the basis of these results and other studies, a model was proposed for the synthesis of qcA and secretory "piece" (SP) in separate cells and a possible mechanism was suggested by which these components might combine to form the llS secretory "yA molecule (12).The present studies were undertaken to further investigate by means of immunofluorescent techniques, the cellular sites for 3'A and SP synthesis in a variety of normal human tissues. As a result of these investigations a revised model is presented involving at least in part, the intercellular (rather than intraceUular) transport of ~'A and its complexing with SP in extracellular (intercellular and luminal surface) locations. Moreover, the cellular sites of synthesis of SP and its relationship to epithelial mucins have been more clearly delineated by studies in a variety of epithelial tissues. Material and MethodsTissue Spevimens.--Immunohistochemlcal investigations were performed on various human tissue. 14 bronchial biopsies were obtained from two locations, eight from the carina and six

The Cells of Human Colostrum II. Synthesis of IgA and β1c

“…Using this interpretation, one can infer that a chains produced by colostral cells were used to form secretory IgA and that the SP was not produced by the colostral cells but was absorbed onto the surface of the cells or was contained by them. This interpretation agrees with the findings of most other investigators [8,23] which indicate that SP is produced by the epithelial cells and not by the lymphoid cells of exocrine glands. Further experiments will be required to ascertain if either the secretory type of IgA or the SP is synthesized by the cells of human colostrum.…”

Serum Immunoglobulins and Coproantibody Formation in Infants after Artificial Intestinal Colonization with Escherichia coli 083 and Oral Lysozyme Administration

“…Secretory IgA contains one more polypeptide chain (secretory component), synthesized by the intestinal epithelial cell, than serum IgA [13,38]. Secretory IgA also differs from serum IgA in its greater resistance to the degradative effect of proteolytic enzymes [33].…”

Single chain Fv: a ligand in receptor-mediated gene delivery

“…The human polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) 2 is expressed at high levels in the airway epithelium, in most of the cell types that express CFTR in the human airway. 3 It is adapted for non-degradative bulk transfer, and can be accessed for gene transfer in vitro and in vivo. In previous studies, 4,5 we targeted the pIgR to deliver genes in vitro in the human tracheal epithelial cells and in vivo to the receptorbearing organs of rats.…”