Conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue in avian mucosal immunity

• Published in: Developmental and comparative immunology 2012-02, Vol.36 (2), p.289-297
• Main Authors: van Ginkel, F.W., Gulley, S.L., Lammers, A., Hoerr, F.J., Gurjar, R., Toro, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adaptive immunity; Adenoviridae - immunology; Adenovirus; Animals; antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Avian immunity; calt; CD4-positive T-lymphocytes; cd8-alpha-alpha; chicken harderian-gland; chickens; Chickens - immunology; Conjunctiva - cytology; Conjunctiva - immunology; Conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue; Cytokines; Cytokines - genetics; Cytokines - immunology; Cytotoxicity; Flow Cytometry; gene-expression; Harderian gland; Histocytochemistry - veterinary; immune response; Immunity, Mucosal - immunology; Immunization - methods; Immunization - veterinary; Immunoglobulin A - blood; Immunoglobulin receptors; immunoglobulins; Immunophenotyping - veterinary; influenza; interferon-gamma; lacrimal fluid; lymphocytes; Lymphocytes B; Lymphocytes T; Lymphoid tissue; Lymphoid Tissue - cytology; Lymphoid Tissue - immunology; Mucosal immunity; Paraocular immunity; particle uptake; Plasma cells; polymeric immunoglobulin receptor; Receptors, Polymeric Immunoglobulin - genetics; Receptors, Polymeric Immunoglobulin - immunology; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; RNA - chemistry; RNA - genetics; Serotypes; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; Spleen; Statistics, Nonparametric; t-cells; tissues; Vaccination
• ISSN: 0145-305X; 1879-0089
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2011.04.012

► Chicken conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) is a mucosal inductive site. ► Ocular immunization generates antigen-specific antibodies and cytokines in CALT. ► CALT generates IgA antibodies. ► CALT epithelium expresses the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor. ► In ovo immunization affect subsequent CALT immune responses. Conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue’s (CALT) role in generating avian mucosal adaptive immunity was measured by analyzing cellular composition, expression of the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR), and production of cytokines and antibodies in chickens ocular exposed to a replication-deficient adenovirus of serotype 5 (Ad5). These studies demonstrate that CALT contains B cells, γδ T cells, T helper, and cytotoxic T cells, and a T lymphocyte composition, which more resembles Harderian glands than spleen. CALT-derived lymphocytes contain antigen-specific, IgA-secreting plasma cells and cytokine-producing lymphocytes after ocular Ad5 vaccination. The expression of the pIgR in the CALT’s lymphoepithelium emphasizes the importance of mucosal immune protection by paraocular lymphoid tissues. The CALT immune response after ocular Ad5 boosting was influenced by prior high dose in ovo Ad5 priming. Thus, both mucosal and systemic immunization influenced Ad5-induced IFN-γ responses in CALT.