Mucosal immunoglobulins at respiratory surfaces mark an ancient association that predates the emergence of tetrapods

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mucosal immunoglobulins at respiratory surfaces mark an ancient association that predates the emergence of tetrapods

AU - Xu, Zhen

AU - Takizawa, Fumio

AU - Parra, David

AU - Gomez, Daniela

AU - Jørgensen, Louise von Gersdorff

AU - LaPatra, Scott E.

AU - Sunyer, J. Oriol

PY - 2016/2/12

Y1 - 2016/2/12

N2 - Gas-exchange structures are critical for acquiring oxygen, but they also represent portals for pathogen entry. Local mucosal immunoglobulin responses against pathogens in specialized respiratory organs have only been described in tetrapods. Since fish gills are considered a mucosal surface, we hypothesized that a dedicated mucosal immunoglobulin response would be generated within its mucosa on microbial exposure. Supporting this hypothesis, here we demonstrate that following pathogen exposure, IgT+ B cells proliferate and generate pathogen-specific IgT within the gills of fish, thus providing the first example of locally induced immunoglobulin in the mucosa of a cold-blooded species. Moreover, we demonstrate that gill microbiota is predominantly coated with IgT, thus providing previously unappreciated evidence that the microbiota present at a respiratory surface of a vertebrate is recognized by a mucosal immunoglobulin. Our findings indicate that respiratory surfaces and mucosal immunoglobulins are part of an ancient association that predates the emergence of tetrapods.

AB - Gas-exchange structures are critical for acquiring oxygen, but they also represent portals for pathogen entry. Local mucosal immunoglobulin responses against pathogens in specialized respiratory organs have only been described in tetrapods. Since fish gills are considered a mucosal surface, we hypothesized that a dedicated mucosal immunoglobulin response would be generated within its mucosa on microbial exposure. Supporting this hypothesis, here we demonstrate that following pathogen exposure, IgT+ B cells proliferate and generate pathogen-specific IgT within the gills of fish, thus providing the first example of locally induced immunoglobulin in the mucosa of a cold-blooded species. Moreover, we demonstrate that gill microbiota is predominantly coated with IgT, thus providing previously unappreciated evidence that the microbiota present at a respiratory surface of a vertebrate is recognized by a mucosal immunoglobulin. Our findings indicate that respiratory surfaces and mucosal immunoglobulins are part of an ancient association that predates the emergence of tetrapods.

U2 - 10.1038/ncomms10728

DO - 10.1038/ncomms10728

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26869478

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 7

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 10728

ER -