Premium
Distribution of porcine CD4/CD8 double‐positive T lymphocytes in mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissues
Author(s) -
ZUCKERMANN F. A.,
GASKINS H. R.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2567.1996.494570.x
Subject(s) - distribution (mathematics) , lymphatic system , cd8 , biology , lymphocyte subsets , cytotoxic t cell , pathology , immunology , medicine , immune system , genetics , mathematics , in vitro , mathematical analysis
The present study describes the distribution of CD4/CD8 double‐positive (DP) T cells in lymph nodes and mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissues of pigs at 6–7 months of age. Proportions of lymphocytes isolated from peripheral, bronchial and mesenteric lymph nodes expressing CD4 and/or CD8 molecules were similar and ranged from 10–13% CD4/CD8 DP cells, 25–27% CD4 single‐positive (SP) cells, and 27–32% CD8 SP cells. Mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissues had significantly smaller proportions of CD4 + and/or CD8 + T cells than lymph nodes and CD4/CD8 DP cells accounted for a larger proportion of the total CD4 + lymphocytes than in lymph nodes. Compared to the lymph nodes, the predominant CD4 + and/or CD8 + T‐cell subset in tonsils was the CD4/CD8 DP population (18%), because of both a higher proportion of these cells and a lower proportion of CD4 SP (12%) and CD8 SP (14%) lymphocyte subsets. Jejunal Peyer’s patches were comprised of 12% CD4 SP, 28% CD8 SP and 10% CD4/CD8 DP lymphocytes. In contrast, the mid‐section of the continuous Peyer’s patch in the ileum contained 7% CD4 SP, 8% CD8 SP and 4% CD4/CD8 DP lymphocytes. The distribution of T lymphocytes in porcine mucosal lymphoid aggregates agrees with the reported correlation between high and low rates of lymphocyte entry into these tissues and the abundance or scarcity of T cells, respectively. Defining the role of CD4/CD8 DP lymphocytes and their unique distribution in mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissues in the pig may reveal novel T‐cell‐mediated regulatory pathways.