Premium
Lack of Shiga‐like toxin binding sites in germinal centres of mouse lymphoid tissues
Author(s) -
Imai Yasuyuki,
Fukui Takashi,
Ikegaya Asano,
Ishikawa Tomoyuki,
Ono Yousuke,
Kurohane Kohta
Publication year - 2002
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.1365-2567.2002.01373.x
Subject(s) - germinal center , immunogen , biology , lymph , lymphatic system , antigen , shiga toxin , staining , immune system , microbiology and biotechnology , antibody , pathology , immunology , b cell , escherichia coli , monoclonal antibody , medicine , biochemistry , gene , genetics
Summary B cells in germinal centres are known to express carbohydrate antigen CD77 in human lymphoid tissues. The CD77 antigen is specifically recognized by Shiga‐like toxins (SLTs) that are produced by enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7. To determine whether the binding subunits of Shiga‐like toxin‐1 (SLT‐1B) could have adverse effects on the murine immune system when used as an immunogen, we investigated whether SLT‐1B could bind to germinal centres of mouse lymphoid tissues. Frozen sections of peripheral lymph nodes and Peyer's patches from immunized mice were tested for the presence of SLT‐1B‐binding sites by immunohistological methods. Germinal centres were not stained with SLT‐1B, while they were intensely stained with peanut agglutinin (PNA), another marker of germinal centres. On the other hand, SLT‐1B specifically bound to renal tubules and collecting ducts in frozen sections of mouse kidney. This is consistent with results from human tissues. We also demonstrated that B220/PNA double‐positive populations in lymph nodes from immunized mice exhibited only marginal staining with SLT‐1B. The present results suggest that SLTs would not impede germinal centre functions of the murine immune system.