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The prostate‐associated lymphoid tissue (PALT) is linked to the expression of homing chemokines CXCL13 and CCL21
Author(s) -
Carlo Emma Di,
Magnasco Salvatore,
D'Antuono Tommaso,
Tenaglia Raffaele,
Sorrentino Carlo
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the prostate
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.295
H-Index - 123
eISSN - 1097-0045
pISSN - 0270-4137
DOI - 10.1002/pros.20604
Subject(s) - germinal center , cxcl13 , biology , immune system , follicular dendritic cells , chemokine , foxp3 , immunology , t cell , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , b cell , antibody , antigen presenting cell , medicine , chemokine receptor
BACKGROUND The genitourinary tract is regarded as part of the mucosal immune system. However, the structural and functional aspects of the human prostate‐associated lymphoid tissue (PALT) have never been extensively explored. METHODS This article describes our investigation of this issue by means of immunohistological, confocal, and ultrastructural examination of the normal human prostate. RESULTS PALT consists of two main components: (1) intraepithelial leukocytes, namely CD3 + T cells with prevalent CD8 + and CD45RA − CD45RO + phenotype, sometimes CD69 + , followed by CD94 + NK, CD11c + DCs, some expressing CD86, DC‐SIGN + DCs and a few B lymphocytes; (2) lymphoid aggregates, frequently below the epithelia, arranged in B cell follicles, endowed with a central ICAM‐1 + VCAM‐1 + CD21 + FDCs network expressing BLC/CXCL13, and parafollicular T cell areas crossed by PNAd + HEV‐like vessels showing SLC/CCL21 expression. Parafollicular areas were formed of prevalent CD4 + T lymphocytes, both CD45RA − and CD45RO + , and intermingled with CD11c + DCs. Germinal‐center‐containing follicles are few and their parafollicular areas are scantily infiltrated by Foxp3 + CD69 − highly suppressive regulatory T cells. Most lymphoid follicles lack a distinct germinal center and their parafollicular area harbor numerous Foxp3 + CD69 − cells. CONCLUSIONS Comparison with the tonsils shows that PALT displays immunomorphological features required for the onset of cellular and humoral immune responses, while its T regulatory cells appear to function as suppressor‐regulators of T and B cell responses. Prostate 67: 1070–1080, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.