Suzumoto Masaki, Hotomi Muneki, Fujihara Keiji, Tamura Shinji, Kuki Kiyonori, Tohya Kazuo, Kimura Michio, Yamanaka Noboru
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Kimiidera 811-1, Wakayama-shi 641-0032, Wakayama, Japan.
Acta Otolaryngol. 2006 Dec;126(11):1164-70. doi: 10.1080/00016480600681593.
The human palatine tonsils and the nasopharyngeal tonsil were considered the defense mechanism against ingested or inhaled foreign pathogens. The current findings suggest that the tubal tonsils possess abilities of active transportation of foreign antigens, and will act as inductive and effector sites in the mucosal immune system. Our results also indicated a significant difference in roles of immune responses among individual tonsillar organs, suggesting functional sub-compartmentalization.
To address the function of tonsils in inducing local immune responses, we evaluated the antigen uptake of tubal tonsils and the induction of specific immune responses in a small laboratory animal with both tubal and palatine tonsils, i.e. Suncus murinus.
S. murinus were injected with 2 x 10(6) CFU of FITC-labeled Staphylococcus aureus via the right tympanic cavity. The distribution of the FITC-labeled S. aureus was examined under a fluorescent microscope. S. murinus were also immunized with 100 microg of ovalbumin (OVA) mixed with 2 microg of cholera toxin (CT) via the right external ear meatus every 2 days for 2 weeks. One week after the final immunization, sera, pairs of tubal and palatine tonsils, and the neck lymph nodes were obtained to evaluate the induction of specific immune responses.
The FITC-labeled S. aureus particles were detected in tubal tonsils and also in cervical lymph nodes. Total IgA-producing cells and OVA-specific antibody-producing cells were identified in the immunized tubal tonsils. Trans-external ear meatus immunization of tubal tonsils also evoked systemic antibody responses.
人类腭扁桃体和鼻咽扁桃体被认为是抵御摄入或吸入外来病原体的防御机制。目前的研究结果表明，咽鼓管扁桃体具有主动转运外来抗原的能力，并将作为黏膜免疫系统中的诱导和效应部位。我们的结果还表明，各个扁桃体器官在免疫反应中的作用存在显著差异，提示存在功能亚区化。
为了探讨扁桃体在诱导局部免疫反应中的功能，我们在一种同时具有咽鼓管扁桃体和腭扁桃体的小型实验动物——麝鼩中，评估了咽鼓管扁桃体的抗原摄取以及特异性免疫反应的诱导情况。
通过右鼓室向麝鼩注射2×10⁶CFU的异硫氰酸荧光素（FITC）标记的金黄色葡萄球菌。在荧光显微镜下检查FITC标记的金黄色葡萄球菌的分布情况。还通过右外耳道每2天给麝鼩免疫100μg卵清蛋白（OVA）与2μg霍乱毒素（CT）的混合物，持续2周。末次免疫后1周，采集血清、成对的咽鼓管扁桃体和腭扁桃体以及颈部淋巴结，以评估特异性免疫反应的诱导情况。
在咽鼓管扁桃体以及颈部淋巴结中检测到了FITC标记的金黄色葡萄球菌颗粒。在免疫的咽鼓管扁桃体中鉴定出了总IgA产生细胞和OVA特异性抗体产生细胞。经外耳道免疫咽鼓管扁桃体也引发了全身性抗体反应。
