Fahey J V, Humphrey S L, Stern J E, Wira C R
Department of Physiology, Dartmouth Medical School, New Hampshire 03756, USA.
Immunol Invest. 1998 May;27(3):167-80. doi: 10.3109/08820139809089454.
At mucosal surfaces, the polymeric Ig receptor (pIgR) is responsible for transporting polymeric IgA across epithelial cells. The purpose of this study was to determine whether normal epithelial cells from the female reproductive tract form tight junctions and produce secretory component, the external domain of the pIgR. Uterine, cervical and vaginal tissues from women at different stages of the menstrual cycle and following menopause were used to prepare purified epithelial cell sheets, which were cultured in cell chambers. Transepithelial resistance was measured and the media from apical and basolateral compartments assayed for secretory component. Secretory component produced by uterine epithelial cells accumulated preferentially in apical compartment and correlated with increased transepithelial resistance. Seeding as epithelial sheets at 1 x 10(6) cells/cm2 of matrix coated cell chambers was required for growth. Epithelial cells from endo-cervix and ecto-cervix, but not the vagina, also showed preferential production and release of secretory component into the apical chamber. In conclusion, normal epithelial cells from the human female reproductive tract grow to confluence, become polarized and produce secretory component. Our results suggest that uterine and cervical epithelial cells play a key regulatory role in the control of IgA transcytosis from tissue into secretions.
在黏膜表面，聚合免疫球蛋白受体（pIgR）负责将聚合免疫球蛋白A（pIgA）转运穿过上皮细胞。本研究的目的是确定来自女性生殖道的正常上皮细胞是否形成紧密连接并产生分泌成分，即pIgR的胞外结构域。取自处于月经周期不同阶段以及绝经后的女性的子宫、宫颈和阴道组织，用于制备纯化的上皮细胞片，并在细胞培养小室中培养。测量跨上皮电阻，并检测顶侧和基底外侧隔室培养基中的分泌成分。子宫上皮细胞产生的分泌成分优先积聚在顶侧隔室中，并与跨上皮电阻增加相关。以1×10⁶个细胞/cm²的密度接种于基质包被的细胞培养小室中作为上皮片才能生长。来自子宫颈内口和外口的上皮细胞，但不是阴道上皮细胞，也显示出优先产生分泌成分并释放到顶侧腔室中。总之，来自人类女性生殖道的正常上皮细胞生长至汇合状态，形成极化并产生分泌成分。我们的结果表明，子宫和宫颈上皮细胞在控制IgA从组织向分泌物的转胞吞过程中起关键调节作用。
