Effects Of Immunodeficiency Virus Infection On The Expression Of Polymeric Immunoglobulin Receptors In Rhesus Macaques

Objective:Polymeric immunoglobulin receptor(pIgR)is a major member of the mucosal immune system and plays a key role in the transport of IgA from the lamina propria to the mucosal surface,and the extracellular domain of pIgR is directly involved in the composition of SIgA.Therefore,the efficient secretion of pIgR is a prerequisite of polymeric Ig-mediated mucosal defence.Although SIgA is severely deficient in HIV/AIDS patients,changes in pIgR after immunodeficiency virms(HIV/SIV)infection are not well known.In this research,the changes of pIgR in the intestinal tract and respiratory mucosa of the rhesus monkeys after SIV/SHIV infection and the effect of IL-17A on the expression of pIgR in cultured human bronchial epithelial(HBE)cells were observed,the changes and possible mechanisms of pIgR after immunodeficiency virus infection were elucidated to provide a scientific basis for the reconstitution of the mucosal immune system in AIDS and other mucosal injury-related diseases.Methods:In this study,the traditional and real-time quantitative RT-PCR were used to detect the expression of pIgR mRNA levels in normal and SIV/SHIV-infected rhesus macaque tissues.The levels of pIgR protein:in normal and infected tissues were detected by Western blotting.The distribution and abundance of pIgR protein in normal and infected tissues were observed by immunofluorescence staining and laser scanning confocal microscopy.In addition,the effect of IL-17A on pIgR mRNA level and pIgR protein level in cultured human bronchial epithelial cells(HBE)was observed in vitro.Results:1)The expression level of pIgR protein in the rhesus duodenum,jejunum,ileum,cecum,colon and rectum of normal rhesus macaques was found to be different in the tissues,the proximal part of small and large intestine had higer pIgR mRNA level;the expression level of pIgR protein was decreased in SIV/SHrV-infected tissues respectively.In the fundus,jejunum proximal,cecum,colon and rectum,the difference was statistically significant(Mann-Whitney U test)(P=0.033,0.0043,0.0364,0.0252,0.0424).2)The expression of pIgR mRNA and pIgR protein in tracheal mucosa decreased significantly after infection(Mann-Whitney U test)(P = 0.0014);IL-17A mRNA expression level also decreased after SIV/sSHIV infection,and there is a correlation between them(positive correlation).The expression of pIgR mRNA and IL-17A mRNA in lung tissue increased after infection,both of which were correlated(positive correlation),but the expression level of pIgR protein decreased after infection.3)After stimulation with different concentrations of IL-17A in HBE cells,the relative expression of pIgR mRNA within 72 h showed a tendency to decrease after increase,and the highest value appeared at 24h.Conclusions:The results showed that the level of pIgR transcription and protein expression in gutmucosal and tracheal mucosa of SIV/SHIV infected rhesus macaques decreased in different degrees,IL-17A has a certain effect on the expression of pIgR in mucosal epithelial cells.Mucosal pIgR expression may be related to the decline of IL-17A levels,is likely to participate in HIV/AIDS mucosal immune system injury process,should be taken seriously in HIV/AIDS mucosal injury repair.