: Lymphocyte recruitment to the mammary gland is highly regulated during late pregnancy and lactation. During pregnancy large numbers of T cells are recruited to the mammary gland, however, in late pregnancy and throughout lactation a transition occurs, after which antibody secreting cells are predominately recruited. The ability of the mammary gland to rapidly alter the type and numbers of lymphocytes recruited provides a useful physiological model for the study of factors that influence lymphocyte subset specific migration. The recently identified chemokine MEC (CCL28) is highly expressed in mammary gland. The hypothesis that MEC is a critical regulator of lymphocyte recruitment to the mammary gland will be tested. The following specific aims are proposed: 1) To evaluate the expression and regulation of MEC in the mammary glands of virgin, pregnant and lactating mice. 2) To assess expression of CCR10, the lymphocyte receptor for MEC, on mammary T and B lymphocytes and antibody secreting cells infiltrating the mammary gland. 3) To determine the importance of MEC and its receptor in lymphocyte homing to the mammary gland through experimental disruption of MEC/CCR10 interactions. Insights gained through this research will not only benefit our understanding of basic biology, but also aid in the understanding of lymphocyte recruitment to other tissues which express MEC such as the pancreas and colon.
| Wilson, Eric; Butcher, Eugene C (2004) CCL28 controls immunoglobulin (Ig)A plasma cell accumulation in the lactating mammary gland and IgA antibody transfer to the neonate. J Exp Med 200:805-9 |
