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Comparative analysis of mediastinal fat‐associated lymphoid cluster development and lung cellular infiltration in murine autoimmune disease models and the corresponding normal control strains
Author(s) -
Elewa Yaser Hosny Ali,
Ichii Osamu,
Kon Yasuhiro
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1111/imm.12539
Subject(s) - infiltration (hvac) , immune system , spleen , lung , biology , lymphatic system , pathology , autoantibody , autoimmune disease , immunology , immunohistochemistry , antibody , medicine , physics , thermodynamics
Summary We previously discovered mediastinal fat‐associated lymphoid clusters ( MFALC s) as novel lymphoid clusters associated with mediastinal fat tissue in healthy mice. However, no data about their morphology in immune‐associated disease conditions, and their relationship with lung infiltration, is available to date. In the present study, we compared the morphological features of MFALC s in 4‐month‐old male murine autoimmune disease models ( MRL /MpJ‐ lpr mice and BXSB /MpJ‐ Yaa mice) with those of the corresponding control strains ( MRL /MpJ and BXSB /MpJ, respectively). In addition, we analysed their correlation with lung infiltration. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry for CD 3, B220, Iba1, Gr1 and BrdU was performed to detect T cells and B cells, macrophages, granulocytes and proliferating cells, respectively. The spleen weight to body weight ratios and anti‐double‐stranded DNA autoantibody titres were found to be significantly higher in the autoimmune models than in the control strains. Furthermore, the autoimmune model presented prominent MFALC s, with a significantly greater ratio of lymphoid cluster area to total mediastinal fat tissue area, and more apparent diffused cellular infiltration into the lung lobes than the other studied strains. Higher numbers of T and B cells, macrophages and proliferating cells, but fewer granulocytes, were observed in the autoimmune models than in the control strains. Interestingly, a significant positive Pearson's correlation between the size of the MFALC s and the density of CD 3‐, B220‐ and Iba1‐positive cells in the lung was observed. Therefore, our data suggest a potentially important role for MFALC s in the progression of lung disease. However, further investigation is required to clarify the pathological role of MFALC s in lung disease, especially in inflammatory disorders.