Pattern recognition receptors in the gut: analysis of their expression along the intestinal tract and the crypt/villus axis

Pascal Gourbeyre (1) , El Mostafa Berri (2) , Yannick Lippi (3) , Francois Meurens (4, 2) , Silvia Vincent-Naulleau (5) , Joëlle Laffitte (6) , Claire Gaillard (5) , Philippe Pinton (6) , Isabelle P. Oswald (6)

1 ToxAlim - ToxAlim
2 UMR ISP - Infectiologie et Santé Publique
3 E23 TRiX - Transcriptomic impact of Xenobiotics
4 Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac)
5 GABI - Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative
6 ToxAlim-BioToMyc - Biosynthèse & Toxicité des Mycotoxines

Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) play a critical role in the detection of microorganisms and the induction of inflammatory and immune responses. Using PCR and Western-blot analysis, this study investigated the differential expression in the intestine of 14 PRRs and nine associated cytokines. Thirty-two pigs were used to determine the expression of these markers (1) along the proximal/distal axis of the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) and (2) between the intestinal segments and their respective lymphoid organs (Peyer's patches [PP] and mesenteric lymph nodes [MLN]). Six additional animals were used to quantify the expression of these genes along the crypt/villus axis of jejunum, using microdissected samples. Most genes showed increased expression (1) in the distal than in the proximal parts of the small intestine (TLR3, 5, RIG-I, IL-1β, IL-8, and IFN-γ); (2) in lymphoid organs (TLR1, 2, 6, 9, 10, IL-10, TNF-α), especially the MLN (TLR4, 7, 8, NOD1, NOD2, NALP3, IFN-α, IL-6, IL-12, and TGF-β), than in intestinal segments. The analysis along the crypt/villus identified: (1) genes with higher expression in lamina propria (TLR1, 2, 4, 9, NOD1, NOD2, IL-1β, IL-10, TGF-β, TNF-α) and (2) genes with higher expression in the villus (TLR3, 5, 6, RIG-I, IL-6). These results highlight the differential expression of PRRs and cytokines along the proximal/distal and the crypt/villus axis of the intestine, contributing to a fine analysis of the complex functional architecture of the small intestine and should be related to the gut microbiota.

Mots clés: Immune system; NOD; RIG‐I; TLR; pig; small intestine

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Pascal Gourbeyre, El Mostafa Berri, Yannick Lippi, Francois Meurens, Silvia Vincent-Naulleau, et al.. Pattern recognition receptors in the gut: analysis of their expression along the intestinal tract and the crypt/villus axis. Physiological Reports, 2015, 3 (2), pp.1-15. ⟨10.14814/phy2.12225⟩. ⟨hal-01194058⟩