Induction of the receptor for the Fc portion of IgA by secretory IgA on human T cell lines and T cell clones

Targeting of secretory IgA to Peyer's patch dendritic and T cells after transport by intestinal M cells

In addition to being instrumental to the protection of mucosal epithelia, secretory IgA (SIgA) adheres to and is transported by intestinal Peyer's patch (PP) M cells. The possible functional reason for this transport is unknown. We have thus examined in mice the outcome of SIgA delivered from the intestinal lumen to the cells present in the underlying organized mucosa-associated lymphoreticular tissue. We show selective association of SIgA with dendritic cells and CD4(+) T and B lymphocytes recovered from PP in vitro. In vivo, exogenously delivered SIgA is able to enter into multiple PP lining the intestine. In PP, SIgA associates with and is internalized by dendritic cells in the subepithelial dome region, whereas the interaction with CD4(+) T cells is limited to surface binding. Interaction between cells and SIgA is mediated by the IgA moiety and occurs for polymeric and monomeric molecular forms. Thus, although immune exclusion represents the main function of SIgA, transport of the Ab by M cells might promote Ag sampling under neutralizing conditions essential to the homeostasis of mucosal surfaces.

Early detection of the allogeneic effect in the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) by anti-CD3 IgA mouse monoclonal antibody

MLR is a 6-day routine proliferation assay used to demonstrate HLA disparity between two individuals. However, on day 2 only a negligible proliferation can be detected. In contrast, we found a significant increase of the extent of proliferation if an anti-CD3 IgA antibody was present in the culture. Since the CD3 proliferation pathway cannot be triggered by an antibody of IgA isotype the result was interpreted as a consequence of a synergism between the allogeneic stimulus and the anti-CD3 antibody effect. The level of this proliferation well correlates with the HLA difference, thus suggesting the use of this methodology for a rapid detection of the allogeneic reaction.

Properties of IgA-binding receptors on murine T cells: relative importance of Fc alpha R, beta-galactosyltransferase and anti-secretory component reactive proteins (ASCP)

Murine T cells and T-cell lines express receptors for the Fc of IgA (Fc alpha R); however, their molecular properties remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we examined three candidate molecules for IgA-binding receptors including Fc alpha R, beta-galactosyltransferase (beta-GT) and anti-secretory component (SC) reactive proteins (ASCP) expressed on T cells which might participate in the binding of different molecular forms of IgA. T-cell lines derived from CD4+ T cells of mouse Peyer's patches (PP) (designated PPT 4-6 and PPT 4-16) and from cloned PP T helper (Th) cell lines (ThHA1 #9 and #10) bound both monomeric and dimeric IgA (mIgA and dIgA), while the fusion partners (BW 5147 and R1.1) did not. In contrast, both Fc alpha R+ and Fc alpha R- cell lines bound to high molecular weight polymeric or aggregated IgA (pIgA). All cell lines reacted with a monoclonal anti-beta-GT (MoAb) and beta-GT enzyme activity was associated with the cell lysates and membrane fractions of all cells tested. The anti-beta-GT MoAb stained a 47-kDa band on immunoblots which was identical to that seen with native enzyme. mRNA analysis with beta-GT cDNA showed that all cell lines constitutively produced enzyme-specific mRNA. Both Fc alpha R+ T cells and Fc alpha R- control cell lines showed cell surface specific beta-GT activity. This is the first study which shows that mouse T cells produce beta-GT. However, Fc alpha R and beta-GT appear to be separate receptors, because Fc alpha R+ T cells bound mIgA and dIgA, and this treatment did not affect staining with biotinylated anti-beta-GT MoAb. Further, preincubation of the Fc alpha R+ cells with anti-beta-GT MoAb did not block mIgA binding. However, the anti-beta-GT MoAb partially blocked binding of pIgA to both Fc alpha R+ and Fc alpha R- T cells, suggesting that beta-GT may be a receptor for pIgA. Others have shown that T cells may bind IgA through a receptor serologically related to SC. We found that antibodies both to human SC and to rat SC specifically bound to both Fc alpha R+ and Fc alpha R- T cells. Further, a 72-kDa band was detected when cell membrane fractions were analysed with these antisera (ASCP) by solid phase immunoisolation technique and immunoblot analysis. The ASCP is not an IgA-binding receptor, since anti-SC did not block either mIgA or pIgA binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Up-regulation of receptors for IgA on activated human B lymphocytes

Expression of receptors for the Fc part of IgA (Fc alpha R) by T lymphocytes was recently shown to be up-regulated after activation by T cell mitogens in the absence of IgA. We describe a similar increase on activated human B lymphocytes. Fc alpha R were determined by labelling with human secretory IgA (0.5 mg/ml) and flow cytometry analysis after staining with fluoresceinated goat anti-IgA or goat anti-secretory component F(ab')2 fragments. B-enriched cell suspensions were prepared from peripheral blood or tonsils and activated by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I, anti-IgM antibodies or E. coli lipopolysaccharide. All three activators increased the percentage of Fc alpha R positive cells although only the former induced significant DNA synthesis. Finally recombinant interleukin 1 (10 nM) and interleukin 2 (10 IU/ml) but not interleukin 4 (300 units/ml) nor low-molecular-weight B cell growth factor induced an increase of Fc alpha R expression. The data show that Fc alpha R can be up-regulated on human B cells in the absence of exposure to IgA.

Expression of receptors for IgA on mitogen-stimulated human T lymphocytes

This study demonstrates that activation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by the T cell mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A) induces the expression of receptors for IgA without addition of IgA to the culture medium. Cells bearing receptors for IgA were determined by indirect immunofluorescence using human secretory IgA and fluoresceinated goat anti-human IgA or goat anti-secretory component antibodies. Among freshly isolated PBMC, 4.7 +/- 1.7% of T cells, 12.7 +/- 12.5% of B cells and 14.4 +/- 7.6% of monocytes were found to be IgA receptor positive. In unstimulated PBMC cultures the percentage of IgA receptor-positive cells slightly increased at 48 h and was more elevated after 7 days. In Con A-stimulated cultures 24.3 +/- 18.5% of the cells expressed receptors for IgA after 48 h. Then, the number decreased and rose again thereafter. PHA stimulation induced an increase of smaller magnitude with similar kinetics. Induction of receptor for IgA on activated T cells was demonstrated by double-labelling experiments showing more CD8+ than CD4+ cells with receptors for IgA among Con A-activated PBMC. Furthermore, PHA or Con A stimulation of B cell-depleted PBMC suspensions resulted in a marked increase of cells bearing receptors for IgA. Expression of these receptors was down-regulated by recombinant interferon-gamma (250 units/ml) and by prostaglandin PGE2 (100 nM) both on unstimulated and mitogen-activated PBMC. The receptor for IgA was distinct from the asialoglycoprotein receptor and did not cross-react with the poly-Ig receptor of epithelial cells. It was concluded that, in the absence of inducing exogenous IgA, T cell mitogens trigger the expression of receptors for IgA. Therefore, T cell activation is associated with the down-regulation of receptors for IgM and the increased expression of receptors for IgG, IgA and IgE.