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Peyer's Patches, Gut IgA Plasma Cells and Thymic Function: Study in Nude Mice Bearing Thymic Grafts¹

From the Group of Pediatric Immunology and Rheumatology (INSERUM U. 132), Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris 75015, and the Department of Pathology, University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland

Abstract

Nude mice have poorly developed Peyer's patches with very small or no germinal centers and little lymphoid cell proliferation, and a marked decrease in the number of gut-IgA plasma cells. Thymus grafts, which restore the T lymphocyte population of their lymphoid organs to nearly normal levels, lead to a considerable development of the Peyer's patches and of their germinal centers, associated with a considerable increase in gut IgA plasma cells, and in the serum IgA level. These findings are consistent with the postulated relationship between the Peyer's patches germinal center cells and the gut IgA plasma cells, and might help to explain the association of thymic defects, low serum IgA, and lack of intestinal IgA plasma cells observed in some immunodeficiency syndromes of man. Nude mice also have a marked decrease in the number of lymphocytes present within the intestinal epithelium. These intraepithelial lymphocytes, which have been shown to be of T nature, are restored to normal numbers after thymus grafting.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported by grants from INSERM (ATP 16 and 31) and D.G.R.S.T. (action concertée: Immunologie des transplantations), and from the Fonds National Suisse de la Recherche Scientifique (No. 3.797.72).

² Group of Pediatric Immunopathology and Rheumatology (INSERM U.132), Hôpital Necker-Enfants, Malades, Paris 75015.

³ Department of Pathology, University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.