No abstract available.
Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Peyer's Patches* ; Recurrence* ; Ulcer*

No abstract available.
Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Peyer's Patches* ; Recurrence* ; Ulcer*

The follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) of Peyer's patches (PPs) contains M cells that are important for reducing mucosal immune responses by transporting antigens into the underlying lymphoid tissue. We generated a monoclonal antibody (C6) that reacted with the FAE of calf ileal PPs, and analyzed the characteristics of C6 using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. FAE of the ileal PP was stained with C6 during both late fetal developmental and postnatal stages. Neither the villous epithelial cell nor intestinal crypt basal cells were stained at any developmental stage. During the prenatal stages, FAE of the jejunal PP was C6-negative. However, a few C6-positive cells were distributed diffusely in some FAE of the jejunal PPs during the postnatal stages. The protein molecular weight of the antigen recognized by C6 was approximately 45 kDa. These data show that C6 is useful for identifying the FAE in ileal PPs and further suggest that differentiation of the FAE in these areas is independent of external antigens.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/*immunology ; *Cattle ; Fetus ; Hybridomas ; Ileum/*ultrastructure ; Intestinal Mucosa/*immunology ; Peyer's Patches/*immunology/ultrastructure

The follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) of Peyer's patches (PPs) contains M cells that are important for reducing mucosal immune responses by transporting antigens into the underlying lymphoid tissue. We generated a monoclonal antibody (C6) that reacted with the FAE of calf ileal PPs, and analyzed the characteristics of C6 using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. FAE of the ileal PP was stained with C6 during both late fetal developmental and postnatal stages. Neither the villous epithelial cell nor intestinal crypt basal cells were stained at any developmental stage. During the prenatal stages, FAE of the jejunal PP was C6-negative. However, a few C6-positive cells were distributed diffusely in some FAE of the jejunal PPs during the postnatal stages. The protein molecular weight of the antigen recognized by C6 was approximately 45 kDa. These data show that C6 is useful for identifying the FAE in ileal PPs and further suggest that differentiation of the FAE in these areas is independent of external antigens.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/*immunology ; *Cattle ; Fetus ; Hybridomas ; Ileum/*ultrastructure ; Intestinal Mucosa/*immunology ; Peyer's Patches/*immunology/ultrastructure

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Peyer's patches (PPs) are aggregates of lymphoid follicles that are mainly located in the distal ileum; they play a major role in mucosal immunity. We recently reported that patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have alterations in PPs that can be detected using narrow-band imaging with magnifying endoscopy (NBI-ME). However, the usefulness of NBI-ME in UC treatment as a whole is still unknown. METHODS: We collected NBI-ME images of PPs from 67 UC patients who had undergone ileocolonoscopy. We evaluated changes in the villi using the "villi index," which is based on three categories: irregular formation, hyperemia, and altered vascular network pattern. The patients were divided into two groups on the basis of villi index: low (L)- and high (H)-types. We then determined the correlation between morphological alteration of the PPs and various clinical characteristics. In 52 patients who were in clinical remission, we also analyzed the correlation between NBI-ME findings of PPs and clinical recurrence. RESULTS: The time to clinical recurrence was significantly shorter in remissive UC patients with H-type PPs than in those with L-type PPs (P<0.01). Moreover, PP alterations were not correlated with age, sex, disease duration, clinical activity, endoscopic score, or extent of disease involvement. Multivariate analysis revealed that the existence of H-type PPs was an independent risk factor for clinical recurrence (hazard ratio, 3.3; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: UC patients with morphological alterations in PPs were at high risk of clinical relapse. Therefore, to predict the clinical course of UC, it may be useful to evaluate NBI-ME images of PPs.
Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Endoscopy* ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Ileum ; Immunity, Mucosal ; Multivariate Analysis ; Peyer's Patches* ; Recurrence* ; Risk Factors ; Ulcer*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Peyer's patches (PPs) are aggregates of lymphoid follicles that are mainly located in the distal ileum; they play a major role in mucosal immunity. We recently reported that patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have alterations in PPs that can be detected using narrow-band imaging with magnifying endoscopy (NBI-ME). However, the usefulness of NBI-ME in UC treatment as a whole is still unknown. METHODS: We collected NBI-ME images of PPs from 67 UC patients who had undergone ileocolonoscopy. We evaluated changes in the villi using the "villi index," which is based on three categories: irregular formation, hyperemia, and altered vascular network pattern. The patients were divided into two groups on the basis of villi index: low (L)- and high (H)-types. We then determined the correlation between morphological alteration of the PPs and various clinical characteristics. In 52 patients who were in clinical remission, we also analyzed the correlation between NBI-ME findings of PPs and clinical recurrence. RESULTS: The time to clinical recurrence was significantly shorter in remissive UC patients with H-type PPs than in those with L-type PPs (P<0.01). Moreover, PP alterations were not correlated with age, sex, disease duration, clinical activity, endoscopic score, or extent of disease involvement. Multivariate analysis revealed that the existence of H-type PPs was an independent risk factor for clinical recurrence (hazard ratio, 3.3; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: UC patients with morphological alterations in PPs were at high risk of clinical relapse. Therefore, to predict the clinical course of UC, it may be useful to evaluate NBI-ME images of PPs.
Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Endoscopy* ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Ileum ; Immunity, Mucosal ; Multivariate Analysis ; Peyer's Patches* ; Recurrence* ; Risk Factors ; Ulcer*

BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) directs class switch recombination (CSR) to IgA isotype, which is a predominant antibody in mucosal surfaces. Although IgA is preferentially committed in mucosal lymphoid tissues, it is not definitely established whether hallmarks of IgA CSR such as IgA germ-line transcripts (GLTalpha), post-switch transcripts (PSTalpha) and circle transcripts (CTalpha) are readily expressed in such tissues. Therefore, we compared the expression of these transcripts among mouse Peyer's patches (PP), mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), and spleen. METHODS: Levels of GLTs, PSTs and CTs were measured by RT-PCR in isolated PPs, MLNs and spleen cells. RESULTS: GLTalpha and PSTalpha were well expressed in PP and MLN cells but in spleen cells. Similar patterns were observed in the expression of GLgamma2b and PSTgamma2b. On the other hand, these transcripts were only inducible in spleen cells upon stimulated with LPS and TGF-beta1. In addition, CTalpha and CTgamma2b were detected in PP cells. CONCLUSION: PP B cells readily express IgA GLT, PST, and CT. Overall expression patterns of these transcripts were similar in MLN cells. Thus, these results suggest that microenvironment of PP and MLN influences spontaneous IgA CSR, which lacks in systemic lymphoid tissues such as spleen.
Animals ; B-Lymphocytes ; Hand ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoid Tissue* ; Mice* ; Peyer's Patches ; Recombination, Genetic ; Spleen ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in cellular apoptosis of Peyer's patches in severely scalded mice, and to explore its role in the pathogenesis of gut barrier damage.

METHODSForty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into normal control, 12 post-scald hour (12PSH), 24PSH and 72PSH groups, with 10 in each group. The mice in all PSH groups were inflicted with 20% TBSA full-thickness scald on the back. The mice in all the groups were sacrificed at different time points, and Peyer's patches were harvested from all the mice for HE staining, DNA gel electrophoresis, and flow cytometry ( FCM) examination with FITC conjugated Annexin-v and propidium iodide( PI) staining of cells.

RESULTSHE staining revealed that there were relatively abundant apoptotic cells scattering in Peyer's patches of scalded mice . DNA electrophoresis of Peyer's patches revealed typical " ladder" pattern at all indicated time points in scalded mice. Apoptotic percentage of detached Peyer's patches cells in control and scalded group were (4. 9+/-2. 1)% , (26.7+/-3. 1)% , (21.6 +/-4.0)% ,(12. 8 +/-2.0)% , respectively, and the percentage reached the peak at 12 PSH.

CONCLUSIONApoptosis is a principle modality of cell death of small intestinal Peyer's patches lymphocytes in severely scalded mice, and it might contribute to immunity barrier failure of intestinal wall after severe thermal injury.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Burns ; immunology ; metabolism ; Intestine, Small ; cytology ; immunology ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Peyer's Patches ; cytology

Interactions between microbes and epithelial cells in the gastrointestinal tract are closely associated with regulation of intestinal mucosal immune responses. Recent studies have highlighted the modulation of mucosal immunity by microbe-derived molecules such as ATP and short-chain fatty acids. In this study, we undertook to characterize the expression of the ATP-gated P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) on M cells and its role in gastrointestinal mucosal immune regulation because it was poorly characterized in Peyer's patches, although purinergic signaling via P2X7R and luminal ATP have been considered to play an important role in the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we present the first report on the expression of P2X7R on M cells and characterize the role of P2X7R in immune enhancement by ATP or LL-37.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Epithelial Cells ; Fatty Acids, Volatile ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Immunity, Mucosal ; Peyer's Patches ; Phenobarbital ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X7*

Light and electron microscopic studies were performed to investigate the subcellular alterations of lymphocytes in rat Peyer's patches by dehydration. Sprague -Dawley rats weighing 210 to 230 gm were fed with dried diet and without water for 5, 7, 9, or 13 days. In light microscopy, the lymphocytes with very dark nucleus and/or cytoplasmic materials are shown in Peyer's patches of the dehydrated rats. The number of these lymphocytes were increased according to the degree of dehydration. Some dark nuclei were C or O shaped, and some cells with dark nucleus showed the light or empty cytoplasm as halo. The number of Tunel -positive lymphocytes were increased according to the duration of dehydration, and lymphocytes with Tunel -positive nucleus appeared in a group. some cells included the Tunel - positive nuclei and materials in their cytoplasm. Especially the cells of 13 day -dehydrated group had the strongly positive nucluei. In electron microscopy, the nuclei of lymphocytes shown very dark in light microscopy were condensed and/or fragmented. The aspects of nuclear condensations were various; simply condensed, rosary -like, crescentic or irregular. The destructions of cytoplasmic organelles were increased according to the degree of the dehydration. Many cells contained the phagosomes and necrotic and/or apoptosis -like cell debris, and the number of foreign body containing cells were increased according to the duration of the dehydration. These results showed that a number of lymphocytes were destructed by the necrosis and apoptosis -like mechanism morphologically, and the number of the cells containing these destructed cell debris are increased according to the duration of dehydration.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cytoplasm ; Dehydration* ; Diet ; Foreign Bodies ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Lymphocytes* ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Necrosis ; Organelles ; Peyer's Patches ; Phagosomes ; Rats*