Change in Expression of the Intestinal Polymeric Immunoglobulin Receptor in Acute Liver Necrosis

Abstract

AIM: Polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) transports pIgA unidirectionally to form sIgA, and its effective production is important for the immune stability of the intestinal mucosa. This study aimed at evaluating the expression of pIgR in a mouse model of acute liver necrosis and the relationship with sIgA.

METHODS: We induced acute liver necrosis using D-galactosamine/ lipopolysaccharide (GalN/LPS), and assessed the results using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, real-time quantitative PCR, and radioimmunoassay.

RESULTS: Expression of pIgR mRNA was significantly decreased in acute liver necrosis models (P<0.05), as was the level of pIgR protein (P<0.05), compared to the control group. The intestinal mucus sIgA content was also significantly reduced (P<0.05), and was positively correlated with the expression of pIgR protein in acute liver necrosis models (r=0.965, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings first demonstrated pIgR expression decreased in the small intestine mucosa in mice with acute liver necrosis, which correlated with the intestinal mucus sIgA content. pIgR decrease in the mucosa of the small intestine may play an important role in reduced sIgA content and the development of intestinal mucosal immune disorder in acute liver necrosis