PMID- 25490456
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20160126
LR  - 20181113
IS  - 1932-6203 (Electronic)
IS  - 1932-6203 (Linking)
VI  - 9
IP  - 12
DP  - 2014
TI  - Protein-coated nanoparticles are internalized by the epithelial cells of the 
      female reproductive tract and induce systemic and mucosal immune responses.
PG  - e114601
LID - 10.1371/journal.pone.0114601 [doi]
LID - e114601
AB  - The female reproductive tract (FRT) includes the oviducts (fallopian tubes), 
      uterus, cervix and vagina. A layer of columnar epithelium separates the 
      endocervix and uterus from the outside environment, while the vagina is lined 
      with stratified squamous epithelium. The mucosa of the FRT is exposed to antigens 
      originating from microflora, and occasionally from infectious microorganisms. 
      Whether epithelial cells (ECs) of the FRT take up (sample) the lumen antigens is 
      not known. To address this question, we examined the uptake of 20-40 nm 
      nanoparticles (NPs) applied vaginally to mice which were not treated with 
      hormones, epithelial disruptors, or adjuvants. We found that 20 and 40 nm NPs are 
      quickly internalized by ECs of the upper FRT and within one hour could be 
      observed in the lymphatic ducts that drain the FRT, as well as in the ileac lymph 
      nodes (ILNs) and the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs). Chicken ovalbumin (Ova) 
      conjugated to 20 nm NPs (NP-Ova) when administered vaginally reaches the internal 
      milieu in an immunologically relevant form; thus vaginal immunization of mice 
      with NP-Ova induces systemic IgG to Ova antigen. Most importantly, vaginal 
      immunization primes the intestinal mucosa for secretion of sIgA. Sub-cutaneous 
      (s.c) boosting immunization with Ova in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) further 
      elevates the systemic (IgG1 and IgG2c) as well as mucosal (IgG1 and sIgA) 
      antibody titers. These findings suggest that the modes of antigen uptake at 
      mucosal surfaces and pathways of antigen transport are more complex than 
      previously appreciated.
FAU - Howe, Savannah E
AU  - Howe SE
AD  - Department of Microbiology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, 
      United States of America.
FAU - Konjufca, Vjollca H
AU  - Konjufca VH
AD  - Department of Microbiology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, 
      United States of America.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20141209
PL  - United States
TA  - PLoS One
JT  - PloS one
JID - 101285081
RN  - 0 (Antigens)
RN  - 0 (Immunoglobulin G)
RN  - 9006-59-1 (Ovalbumin)
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Antigens/immunology/*metabolism
MH  - Biological Transport
MH  - Epithelial Cells/immunology/*metabolism
MH  - Female
MH  - Immunity, Mucosal
MH  - Immunization/methods
MH  - Immunoglobulin G/blood
MH  - Lymph Nodes/immunology/physiology
MH  - Mice
MH  - Mice, Inbred C57BL
MH  - Nanoparticles/*analysis
MH  - Ovalbumin/immunology
MH  - *Vaginal Absorption
PMC - PMC4260873
COIS- Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
EDAT- 2014/12/10 06:00
MHDA- 2016/01/27 06:00
PMCR- 2014/12/09
CRDT- 2014/12/10 06:00
PHST- 2014/05/16 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2014/11/11 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2014/12/10 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2014/12/10 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2016/01/27 06:00 [medline]
PHST- 2014/12/09 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - PONE-D-14-21968 [pii]
AID - 10.1371/journal.pone.0114601 [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - PLoS One. 2014 Dec 9;9(12):e114601. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114601. 
      eCollection 2014.