The major objective of this proposed research is to characterize and document the transmission of circulating lymphocytes into maternal mammary exosecretions and the fate of ingested cells within the neonate. Using inbred rat strains, we plan to show by adoptive transfer of radiolabeled cells and subsequent autoradiography that specific subpopulations of maternal lymphocytes migrate into the mammary gland and then the milk of lactating females. The possible genetic control of this process by regions of the major histocompatibility complex will also be investigated. The ability of cells to survive in the gastrointestinal tract and transit the gut epithelium will be documented by 1) graft-versus-host reactivity of parental lymphocytes placed into isolated ileal segments in F1 hybrid adults, measured by draining node enlargement and local damage, as well as autoradiographic analysis after similar injections of radiolabeled cells; 2) tracing lymphocytes fed to rat neonates by autoradiographic analysis of neonatal tissues after feeding radiolabeled cells and by immunofluorescence to detect cells within neonatal tissues bearing maternal markers; and 3) a previously determined model system of intestinal lymphoid tissue development in the neonatal rat to establish, on a morphological basis, alterations in this development due to the introduction of parental or other allogeneic lymphocytes into the gastrointestinal tract of F1 hybrid neonates. The role of Peyer's patches in the transepithelial migration of lymphocytes will be studied in both the adult and neonatal systems. Additionally, the capacity of cells isolated from milk to transit both the adult and neonatal gut epithelium will be investigated. Electron microscopy will be utilized in all experiments to assess the morphology of cells crossing the various epithelia and elucidate their mechanism of transit. A thorough understanding of the role of lymphocytes in milk and their capacity to seed the lymphoid tissue of the neonate could provide new means of disease control and prevention during the neonatal period.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD014358-06
Application #
3312553
Study Section
Immunological Sciences Study Section (IMS)
Project Start
1980-07-01
Project End
1986-08-31
Budget Start
1985-07-01
Budget End
1986-08-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
1985
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas Sw Medical Center Dallas
Department
Type
Overall Medical
DUNS #
City
Dallas
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
75390
Kumar, S N; Steven, W M; Stewart, G L et al. (1991) Immunohistochemical comparison of T-cell and macrophage populations in mammary tissue of control and Trichinella spiralis-infected rats. Anat Rec 230:243-8
Steven, W M; Kumar, S N; Stewart, G L et al. (1990) The effects of ethanol consumption on the expression of immunity to Trichinella spiralis in rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 14:87-91
Kumar, S N; Stewart, G L; Steven, W M et al. (1990) Role of T cell subsets in the maternal-to-neonatal transmission of immunity against Trichinella spiralis during lactation in rats. J Reprod Immunol 17:69-78
Steven, W M; Bulloch, B; Seelig Jr, L L (1989) A morphometric study of the effects of ethanol consumption on lactating mammary glands of rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 13:209-12
Kumar, S N; Stewart, G L; Steven, W M et al. (1989) Maternal to neonatal transmission of T-cell mediated immunity to Trichinella spiralis during lactation. Immunology 68:87-92
Sontheimer, R D; Matsubara, T; Seelig Jr, L L (1989) A macrophage phenotype for a constitutive, class II antigen-expressing, human dermal perivascular dendritic cell. J Invest Dermatol 93:154-9
Kumar, S N; Thomas, B V; Seelig Jr, L L (1988) Immunohistochemical analysis of the stage-specific expression of Ia antigens in the rat mammary gland during pregnancy and lactation. J Reprod Immunol 13:159-73
Tharp, M D; Glass, M J; Seelig Jr, L L (1988) Ultrastructural morphometric analysis of lesional skin: mast cells from patients with systemic and nonsystemic mastocytosis. J Am Acad Dermatol 18:298-306
Tharp, M D; Glass, M J; Seelig Jr, L L (1988) Ultrastructural morphometric analysis of human mast cells in normal skin and pathological cutaneous lesions. J Cutan Pathol 15:78-83
Tharp, M D; Chaker, B; Glass, M J et al. (1987) In vitro functional reactivities of cutaneous mast cells from patients with mastocytosis. J Invest Dermatol 89:264-8

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