Retinal pigment epithelial cells phagocytosis of T lymphocytes: possible implication in the immune privilege of the eye.

2002-12

AIM: To investigate the capability of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells to phagocytose T lymphocytes and to further analyse the immunobiological consequences of this phagocytosis. METHODS: Human RPE cells pretreated or not by cytochalasin, a phagocytosis inhibitor, were co-cultured with T lymphocytes for different time points. Phagocytosis was investigated by optic microscopy, electron microscopy, and flow cytometry. T cell proliferation was measured by (3)H thymidine incorporation. RPE interleukin 1beta mRNA expression was quantified by real time PCR. RESULTS: RPE cells phagocytose apoptotic and non-apoptotic T lymphocytes, in a time dependent manner. This is an active process mediated through actin polymerisation, blocked by cytochalasin E treatment. Inhibition of RPE cell phagocytosis capabilities within RPE-T cell co-cultures led to an increase of lectin induced T cell proliferation and an upregulation of interleukin 1beta mRNA expression in RPE cells. CONCLUSIONS: It is postulated that T lymphocyte phagocytosis by RPE cells might, by decreasing the total number of T lymphocytes, removing apoptotic lymphocytes, and downregulating the expression of IL-1beta, participate in vivo in the induction and maintenance of the immune privilege of the eye, preventing the development of intraocular inflammation.
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Sciences bio-médicales et agricoles; Actins -- analysis; Cell Division; Cells, Cultured; Cytochalasins -- pharmacology; Flow Cytometry -- methods; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Interleukin-1 -- analysis; Microscopy, Electron; Phagocytosis -- drug effects; Pigment Epithelium of Eye -- cytology; Pigment Epithelium of Eye -- immunology; Pigment Epithelium of Eye -- physiology; RNA, Messenger -- analysis; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; T-Lymphocytes; info:eu-repo/semantics/article; info:ulb-repo/semantics/articlePeerReview; info:ulb-repo/semantics/openurl/article

Open access content. Open access content
1 full-text file(s): info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess

1 full-text file(s): application/pdf
English

EQY oai:dipot.ulb.ac.be:2013/53519
uri/info:pmid/12446378
uri/info:pmcid/PMC1771383
764596907

UNIVERSITE LIBRE DE BRUXELLES
From OAIster®, provided by the OCLC Cooperative.

edsoai.ocn764596907