著者

千葉 博史

出版者

The Japanese Respiratory Society

雑誌

日本胸部疾患学会雑誌 (ISSN:03011542)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.14, no.5, pp.250-263, 1976-05-25 (Released:2010-02-23)

参考文献数

20

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Immunology has made significant advances in recent years and many questions have been resolved with regard to the local immune mechanism in various organs. However, immune mechanisms in lung tissue have not been sufficiently understood.Therefore, 95 autopsy or biopsy specimens of lung and bronchial tissue were studied in order to obtain informations about the local immune mechanism in human lungs.Antisera obtained from immunized rabbits with immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG and IgM) were labeled with conjugated FITC or Rhodamine. Following a single and double direct staining using fluorescent antibody techniques, the distribution and localization of immunogloblins (IgG, IgA and IgM) were systematically investigated.Antisera obtained from immunized rabbits with immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG and IgM) were labeled with conjugated FITC or Rhodamine. Following a single and double direct staining using fluorescent antibody techniques, the distribution and localization of immunogloblins (IgG, IgA and IgM) were systematically investigated.The results obtained were as follows.In the normal lung tissue, IgA was predominantly distributed in the bronchial area, while IgG was predominantly distributed in the alveolar area. The boundary between the IgA and IgG regions existed probably in the bronchiolar area. IgM showed no partfcular distribution and was traced in small amounts in the adult lung tissue except for perinatal periods. The distribution of lysozyme was similar to IgA in the bronchial areas and to peroxidase in the alveolar areas. IgG was localized in the connective tissue and secretion to the airway was not usually observed. When inflammation developed in the alveolar area, IgG tended to increase significantly. IgA was mostly localized in the apical portion of mucosai epithelial cells, their intercellular spaces, bronchial ciliary cells and bronchial glands. IgM was mainly observed in the mucous glands and the mucous layer at the main bronchus and secretion into the airway was also noted. Ig bearing cells were small in number as expected and each cell responded to only one of the immunoglobulins. The IgG bearing cells were present to a greater extent than IgA-bearing cells. Each type of Ig-bearing cell was observed in the foetus lung, thymus and spleen at 24 question weeks. There was a poor immune response in the hilar lymph nodes and Ig bearing cells were only present in less than 10% of total cells in the lymph node. Each type of Ig-bearing cell increased significantly around the interstitial vessels in various lung diseases, especially in primary lung cancer, and the distribution ratio of IgG, IgA and IgM was 2-3, 2, and 0.4 respectively. The distribution of IgA and lysozyme suggested that the bronchial glands would be a source of IgA and lysozyme.The above results indicated that a multi-immune defence system by IgG and IgA might exist in the lung; IgA being active in the bronchial area, especially in the mucous lining and IgG in the alveolar area.