Relationship between mucosal immune response in suncus tonsil and onset of focal infection

本研究从免疫组织学和免疫病理学的角度探讨了2000~2001年扁桃体粘膜免疫反应与扁桃体局灶性感染发病的关系。扁桃体在光镜和电子显微镜水平上表现为典型的粘膜相关免疫组织。从海参胃肠道提取液中分离纯化IgA组分的试验尚未完成，然而，扁桃体的免疫组织化学染色清楚地表明，这些组织在扁桃体隐窝上皮部位产生的IgA活性较高，而不是产生Ig G或Ig M。用粘膜免疫佐剂免疫扁桃体的抗原，可在免疫的扁桃体及其区域淋巴结内诱导产生特异性抗体。有趣的是，一些扁桃体反应动物在其肾小球中有抗体特异性沉积，呈节段性或膜性，但它们没有表现出任何系膜增殖或新冠形成的迹象。虽然扁桃体免疫球蛋白A的产生与肾小球肾炎之间没有直接的证据，但上述结果表明，病理性肾小球中免疫复合体的沉积可能是由抗原刺激的扁桃体产生的循环免疫球蛋白A引起的，表明器官不仅是局部免疫反应的诱导部位，也是局部免疫反应的效应部位。此外，Suncus是研究扁桃体局灶性感染发病机制的有用实验动物。

This study was performed to investigate the relationship between mucosal immune response in suncus palatine tonsil and the onset of tonsillar focal infection at the immunohistological and immunopathological points of view, in 2000 to 2001.The tonsils showed typical structures as mucosa-associated iymphoid tissues at the level of light and electron microscopy. Trial for isolation and purification of IgA-fraction from the extract of gastrointestinal tracts of suncus was incomplete, however, the immunohistochemical staining of the tonsils clearly showed that the tissues revealed a higher activity with regard to IgA production at the site of the tonsillar crypt epithelium, rather than IgG or IgM production. Immunization of antigen with mucosal immune adjuvant to the tonsils induced specific antibody formation within the immuned tonsils and their regional lymph nodes. Interestingly, some tonsillar responder animals had antibody-specific deposits in their glomerurus with segmental or membranous patterns, but they did not show any sign of mesangial proliferation or crescerlt formation. Although there is no direct evidence between tonsillar IgA production and the glomerulonephritis, the obtained results suggest that the deposition of the immune complex in pathological glomerulus may be induced by the circulating IgA derived from the antigen-stimulated tonsils, showing the organs play an important role as not only inductive site but also effector site of local immune response. Moreover, it is suggested that the suncus is useful experimental animal for research of the onset mechanism of tonsillar focal infection.