Animals are continuously threatened by pathogens entering the body through natural openings. Here we show that in chicken (Gallus gallus), secretory IgA (sIgA) protects the epithelia lining these natural cavities. A gene encoding a chicken polymeric Ig receptor (GG-pIgR), a key component of sIgA, was identified, and shown to be expressed in the liver, intestine and bursa of Fabricius. All motifs involved in pIgR function are present, with a highly conserved Ig-binding motif in the first Ig-like domain. Physical association of GG-pIgR with pIgA in bile and intestine demonstrates that this protein is a functional receptor. Thus, as shown for mammals, this receptor interacts with J-chain-containing polymeric IgA (pIgA) at the basolateral epithelial cell surface resulting in transcytosis and subsequent cleavage of the pIgR, releasing sIgA in the mucosal lumen. Interestingly, the extracellular portion of GG-pIgR protein comprises only four Ig-like domains, in contrast with the five domain structure found in mammalian pIgR genes. The second Ig-like domain of mammalian pIgR does not have an orthologous domain in the chicken gene. The presence of pIgR in chicken suggests that this gene has evolved before the divergence of birds and reptiles, indicating that secretory Igs may have a prominent role in first line defence in various non-mammalian species.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
June 15 2004
A functional polymeric immunoglobulin receptor in chicken (Gallus gallus) indicates ancient role of secretory IgA in mucosal immunity
Willemien H. WIELAND
;
Willemien H. WIELAND
*Laboratory of Molecular Recognition and Antibody Technology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8123, 6700 ES Wageningen, The Netherlands
Search for other works by this author on:
Diego ORZÁEZ
;
Diego ORZÁEZ
*Laboratory of Molecular Recognition and Antibody Technology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8123, 6700 ES Wageningen, The Netherlands
Search for other works by this author on:
Aart LAMMERS
;
Aart LAMMERS
†Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
Search for other works by this author on:
Henk K. PARMENTIER
;
Henk K. PARMENTIER
†Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
Search for other works by this author on:
Martin W. A. VERSTEGEN
;
Martin W. A. VERSTEGEN
‡Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700AH Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Search for other works by this author on:
Arjen SCHOTS
Arjen SCHOTS
1
*Laboratory of Molecular Recognition and Antibody Technology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8123, 6700 ES Wageningen, The Netherlands
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (e-mail Arjen.Schots@wur.nl).
Search for other works by this author on:
Biochem J (2004) 380 (3): 669–676.
Article history
Received:
February 05 2004
Revision Received:
February 27 2004
Accepted:
March 02 2004
Accepted Manuscript online:
March 02 2004
Citation
Willemien H. WIELAND, Diego ORZÁEZ, Aart LAMMERS, Henk K. PARMENTIER, Martin W. A. VERSTEGEN, Arjen SCHOTS; A functional polymeric immunoglobulin receptor in chicken (Gallus gallus) indicates ancient role of secretory IgA in mucosal immunity. Biochem J 15 June 2004; 380 (3): 669–676. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/bj20040200
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Biochemical Society Member Sign in
Sign InSign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionGet Access To This Article
Cited By
Related Articles
Human salivary agglutinin binds to lung surfactant protein-D and is identical with scavenger receptor protein gp-340
Biochem J (September,2001)
Evidence for Both Luminal and Systemic Factors in the Control of Rat Intestinal Epithelial Replacement
Clin Sci Mol Med (February,1976)
Specific somatostatin-binding to cytosol of bovine gallbladder mucosa
Biosci Rep (March,1986)
Luminal Epidermal Growth Factor Preserves Mucosal Mass of Small Bowel in Fasting Rats
Clin Sci (Lond) (May,1996)