Human Peyer's Patches: an Immunohistochemical Study
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Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.27.4.405 on 1 April 1986. Downloaded from Gut, 1986, 27, 405-410 Human Peyer's patches: an immunohistochemical study JO SPENCER, TERESA FINN, AND P G ISAACSON From the Department ofHistopathology, University College London School ofMedicine, London SUMMARY We have used immunoperoxidase techniques to characterise the Peyer's patches in human terminal ileum. The mantle zones of the B cell follicles in human Peyer's patches were surrounded by B cells which did not express surface IgD but which mostly expressed surface immunoglobulin of the IgM and/or IgAl isotype. Few cells expressing surface IgG or IgA2 were detected. Cells with cytoplasmic immunoglobulin of all isotypes except IgD were present in the dome regions of the Peyer's patches as well as in the lamina propria. There was little evidence of traffic of immunoglobulin synthesising cells across the high endothelial venules. T cells were seen to surround the lymphoid follicles. They were most concentrated on the serosal aspect around the high endothelial venules. Cells with macrophage-like morphology were present in both the lamina propria and the dome region of the follicles; those in the lamina propria containing lysozyme and those in the dome region S100 protein. The results are discussed in relation to the generation and dissemination of antibody producing cells in human gut. http://gut.bmj.com/ A wealth of information is available which defines rats, however, are found in approximately 10 clusters the processes involved in the activation, maturation along the length of the ileum and in sheep they are and migration of B cells resulting from immuno- densely concentrated in the terminal ileum.7 In logical stimulation of the guts of laboratory animals. these species the Peyer's patches are clearly visible Some of the B cells activated in the Peyer's patches macroscopically on the serosal surface of the bowel. migrate to the mesenteric lymph nodes where they Secondly the synthesis of IgA in human tissue is not mature into antibody producing cells.' These cells restricted to the mucosae to the extent seen in rats. on September 23, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. then enter the blood through the thoracic duct and Unlike rats which synthesise mostly dimeric IgA, localise in the lamina propria of the gut where they man synthesises both monomeric and dimeric forms become plasma cells secreting antibody predomi- of two subclasses of IgA, the monomeric form not nantly of the IgA isotype.23 Sminia and Plesch4 apparently being involved in the protection of have supported these observations in rats using mucosal surfaces because of its inability to combine immunohistochemistry. with secretory component. Because of these dif- It is tempting to apply these theories on the ferences between the gut associated lymphoid tissue development of antibody producing cells in the gut of laboratory animals and man we have made an directly to human tissue, but there are differences immunohistochemical study of the Peyer's patches between the gut associated lymphoid tissue of man in human ileum the priority being to look for and laboratory animals even on a fundamental level. evidence of the maturation sites of antibody syn- First, the Peyer's patches themselves are distributed thesising cells generated in the Peyer's patches and differently. Peyer's patches in untreated human the migratory route of these B-cells to the lamina tissue are macroscopically invisible and they are propria. distributed in small clusters throughout the gastro- intestinal tract, being most concentrated in the Methods terminal ileum.5 The Peyer's patches of mice and TISSUE COLLECTION AND PROCESSING Address for correspondence: Dr J M Spencer, Department of Histopathology, University College London School of Medicine, University Street, London, Terminal ileum was collected from seven right WCIE 6JJ. hemicolectomy specimens resected at laparotomy Received for publication 21 June 1985. for adenoma or carcinoma of the colon. The patients 405 Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.27.4.405 on 1 April 1986. Downloaded from 406 Spentcer, Finnt1, ands1 Isaacson were four women and three men ranging in age from centroblasts with euchromatic nuclei and medium 17-91 years. Specimens of macroscopically normal sized centrocytes with irregularly shaped hetero- ileum were fixed in 10% formalin containing 2% chromatic nuclei. The follicle centre was surrounded acetic acid8 and routinely processed and embedded by a mantle with indistinct borders composed of for paraffin sections. Tissue was also snap frozen in small lymphocytes which merged into a mixed liquid nitrogen for frozen sections. Sections of population of cells in the dome region of the follicle. terminal ileum were stained using haematoxylin and In addition to some small lymphocytes, the dome eosin. Blocks that contained Peyer's patch follicles region contained plasma cells, macrophages were selected for immunohistochemistry. IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY The sources and the specificities of the antibodies used throughout this study are shown in the Table. Paraffin sections for immunostaining were de- waxed, rehydrated, and subjected to controlled trypsin digestion for optimal staining.'" Frozen sections were air dried for half an hour and fixed in fresh acetone for half an hour immediately before staining. With the polyclonal primary antibodies a peroxi- dase anti-peroxidase technique was used, and the monoclonal primary antibodies were used with a peroxidase conjugated secondary antibody. Peroxi- dase activity was shown using the 3,3-diamino- benzidine reagent. 12 The precise details of the techniques have been published elsewhere.'3 Results http://gut.bmj.com/ MORPHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS The most prominent feature of Peyer's patch follicles was the follicle centre which contained large Table Antibodies used in this study on September 23, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. Monoclonal antibodies Source Specificity IgD Coultcr Clonc b-chains IgM Coultcr Clonc -chains IgA I Scward Laboratorics al -chains IgA2 Scward Laboratorics u2-chains T1 T ccils T4 Supprcssor T ccils Lcu3a Bcckton Dickinson Hclper ccils Nal/34 Scra Lab Langcrhans ccils, intcrdigitating ccils and cortical thymocytes KB6I (9) t B cclls othcr than folliclc centrc ccils b AN J'V V J2A IB5 (1(0) IILA-D rcgion antigen Fig. 1 Paraffin section of Peyer's patch Jfrom terminal Potlytlonatll antiAsera ileum. (a) Thefollicle centre is surrounded by a mantle IgG Dakopatts y-chain oJ Lysozymc Dakopatts Lysozymc small lymphocytes which has indistinct borders. The mamitle SII)() Dakopatts Cow 511(f brain protcin zone merges with a population ofcells ofintermnediate size and irregular nuclear outlines. These cells are illustrated in Antiscra wcrc kindly provided by *Drs P Bevcrlcy and. (b) where they extendfrom the dome region ofthefollicle tDr T Adams of the Impcrial Canccr Rcscirch Fund. London, into the overlying epithelium. Haematoxylin anid eosin, tDr K Pulford of the John Raidcliffc Hospital. Oxford. (a) x 125, (b) x280, orig mag. Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.27.4.405 on 1 April 1986. Downloaded from Human Peyer's patches: an immunohistochemical study 4(J7 * k c .j http://gut.bmj.com/ Fig. 2 Serialfrozen sections ofa Peyer's patch immunostained using (a) the monoclonal antibody KB6J which recognises an antigen on B cells other than follicle centre B cells, (b) anti-IgD, (c) anti-IgAI, (d) anti-IgM. B cells recognised by KB61 are present in excess ofthe mantle cells which express surface IgD. Most ofthe B cells which surround the mantle zone appear to express slgM andlor sIgAl. Immunoperoxidase (x 100, orig. mag). and cells with irregularly shaped heterochromatic region and between the dome epithelial cells and nuclei similar to the centrocytes in the follicle centre into the T cell zone (Fig. 2 b,c,d). Cells with sIgA2 on September 23, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. (Fig. 1). These cells were also present infiltrating and sIgG could be seen occasionally in the Peyer's between the epithelial cells of the dome, but not the patches. epithelium of the adjacent crypts. They were also The follicle centres contained network staining of continuous with the zone of cells on the serosal immunoglobulin of all isotypes except IgD. This aspect of the follicle which contained the high immunoglobulin bound to the follicular dendritic endothelial venules. reticulum cells masked any positivity which may have been present on the follicle centre cells IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL OBSERVATIONS themselves. Frozen sections Helper and suppressor T-cells were present in the Cells with surface immunoglobulin (sIg) were stu- T-cell zones extending around the follicles and into died in cryostat sections of Peyer's patches. Clear the mixed cell zones, the ratio of helpers to rings of immunostaining were seen around the suppressors being approximately 7:1 but this varied outside of cells with slg rather than the thicker more between individuals. T helper cells were observed in diffuse rings of staining which surrounded the nuclei the follicle centres. of cells with cytoplasmic immunoglobulin (clg). The antibody Nal/34 recognised only occasional The mantle zone was composed of cells with cells between the follicles in Peyer's patches. No sIgD and sIgM but this was diminuitive when com- cells were stained in the dome regions. pared with the total number of B cells present in the Peyer's patches outside the follicle centre Paraffin sections (Fig. 2 a,b). Cells with sIgM and sIgAl surrounded Most of the cells with clg were observed in the dome the mantle zone extending both into the dome regions of the Peyer's patches and the adjacent Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.27.4.405 on 1 April 1986. Downloaded from 408 Spencer, Finn, and Isaacson lamina propria, although some cells with cIg could frequency of cells with cIgG appeared to decrease occasionally be seen within the follicle centres. It with increasing distance from the follicle.