Common immunophenotypic features of submandibular salivary glands and thymus in rats

Abstract

Introduction. Submandibular salivary gland is a part of the neuro-immune-endocrine system. It contains biological factors which regulate a number of functions in the body including the modulation of thymus function. Objective. The aim of the study was to investigate immunophenotypic characteristics of submandibular salivary glands of rats during ontogenesis, using the panels of monoclonal antibodies and to compare with the phenotypic characteristics of epithelial components of the thymus. Methods. Submandibular salivary glands and thymus were obtained from 1, 30 and 60 days old male AO (Albino, Oxford) rats. Streptavidin-biotin peroxidase method was used for staining. Results. Immunohistochemical analysis of rat submandibular salivary glands showed phenotypic heterogeneity of particular components of this gland during the postnatal development. We demonstrated that rat submandibular salivary glands share common antigens with rat thymic epithelial cells, but the observed phenotypic similarity between the individual regions was considered much more significant. Our data showed that the phenotypic similarity between duct epithelial cells and subcapsular epithelial cells and most medullary cells, whereas cortical epithelial cells are phenotypically similar to acinar cells. Conclusion. This immunohistological study showed phenotypic complexity of the submandibular salivary gland and similarity to the thymus that opens new perspectives in studying phenotypic similarities between this gland and lymphatic organs.

Uvod. Submandibularna pljuvačna žlezda je deo neuroimunoendokrinog sistema koja posredstvom bioloških faktora reguliše mnoge funkcije u organizmu, uključujući i modulaciju funkcije timusa. Cilj rada. Cilj rada bio je da se ispitaju imunofenotipske odlike submandibularne pljuvačne žlezde pacova tokom ontogeneze pomoću panela monoklonskih antitela i uporede s fenotipskim svojstvima epitelnih komponenti timusa. Metode rada. Istraživanja su rađena na pacovima soja AO (Albino Oxford), muškog pola, starosti od jednog, 30 i 60 dana. Za fenotipsku analizu korišćena je streptavidin-biotin- peroksidazna metoda bojenja. Rezultati. Ova imunohistološka studija ukazuje na heterogenost fenotipskih odlika pojedinih komponenti submandibularne pljuvačne žlezde tokom postnatalnog razvoja. Takođe je ustanovljeno da submandibularna pljuvačna žlezda i timus imaju zajedničke antigene, ali je mnogo značajnija fenotipska sličnost između pojedinih regiona u oba ispitivana organa. Epitelne ćelije izvodnih kanala submandibularne pljuvačne žlezde su fenotipski slične epitelnim ćelijama subkapsularne i većini ćelija u meduli timusa. Epitelne ćelije acinusa su fenotipski slične epitelnim ćelijama korteksa timusa. Zaključak. Fenotipska kompleksnost submandibularne pljuvačne žlezde i sličnost s timusom otvara nove mogućnosti za analizu fenotipske sličnosti između ove žlezde i limfatičnih organa.