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Visualizing the T‐cell response elicited by oral administration of soluble protein antigen
Author(s) -
Eilidh Williamson,
Jamie M. O’Malley,
Joanne L. Viney
Publication year - 1999
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.1365-2567.1999.00824.x
Subject(s) - ovalbumin , antigen , immunology , adoptive cell transfer , oral tolerance , biology , dendritic cell , microbiology and biotechnology , in vivo , oral administration , t cell , immune system , endocrinology
Oral administration of soluble protein antigen induces tolerance, while particulate antigens encountered in the intestine provoke active immunity. Although the events that lead to these distinct outcomes are not yet fully characterized, they may reflect differences at the antigen‐presenting cell (APC) level. The role of dendritic cells (DC) in regulating responses at mucosal sites has remained largely undefined because of the low frequency of DC in mucosal‐associated tissues. In this study we have used the growth factor Flt3‐ligand (Flt3L) to expand DC populations in vivo , in combination with an adoptive transfer system, in order to track antigen‐specific T cells during oral tolerance induction. We observed rapid T‐cell activation, localized particularly in the mucosal tissues, within hours after feeding the soluble protein antigen, ovalbumin (OVA). The response was enhanced in Flt3L‐treated mice, indicating an important role for DC during the inductive phase of tolerance.