http://http://dspace.unitus.it:80 The DSpace digital repository system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material. Sat, 25 May 2013 16:51:00 GMT 2013-05-25T16:51:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2183 Title: Intestinal T cells of Dicentrarchus labrax (L.): gene expression and functional studies Authors: Picchietti, Simona; Guerra, Laura; Bertoni, Fabrizio; Randelli, Elisa; Belardinelli, Maria Cristina; Buonocore, Francesco; Rombout, Jan; Scapigliati, Giuseppe; Abelli, Luigi Abstract: Cellular and molecular data have evidenced a gut-associated lymphoid tissue in a variety of teleost species, abundantly containing T cells, whose origin, selection and functions are still unclear. This study reports CD4, CD8-α, MHCI-α, MHCII-β, rag-1 and TCR-β gene transcription along the intestine (anterior, middle and posterior segments) and in the thymus of one year-old Dicentrarchus labrax (L.). Real-time PCR findings depicted a main role of the thymus in T cell development, but also rag-1 and CD8-α transcripts are detected in the intestine, having significant expression in the posterior segment. In the whole intestine TCR-β and CD8-α exceeded CD4 transcripts. RNA ISH confirmed these data and detailed that mucosal CD8-α+ cells were especially numerous in the epithelium and in aggregates in the lamina propria. Regional differences in T cell-specific gene expressions are first described in the intestine of a bony fish. High non-specific cytotoxic activity against xenogeneic and allogeneic cells was found in lymphocytes purified from the intestinal mucosa, providing further insight into their local defence roles. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore http://www.sciencedirect.com/ Fri, 31 Dec 2010 23:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2183 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z