Immune-related functions of the avian IEC

 

The IEC has a central role in digestion and absorption functions in the gut. In the mammal, it is now widely accepted that the IEC functions as an immune sentinel with signaling properties. These properties include cognitive interactions with neighboring immune cells (i.e. dendritic cells, NKT cells and many more), and may include the transfer of IEC stress during pathogen attack. The avian IEC has to date been shown include very few immune response properties. This deficiency in knowledge is due mainly to difficulties in culturing avian IEC in vitro. We have, for some time now, made attempts to culture IEC with little success; recently, however, we have managed to decipher some of the requirements of these cells, and are now proceeding to a more detailed analysis of immune-related functions of the avian IEC.

Several of our major observations are:

• Avian IEC are extremely fragile in culture, but with the correct conditions may be cultured for at least 36 hours and for as long as 15 days.

• Toll-like receptors are constitutively expressed by these cells, and they can be selectively induced to up- or down-regulate these receptors.

• Avian IEC respond very well to bacterial LPS.

• Avian IEC express the poly-Ig-receptor for IgA

 

Key Publication: Bar Shira, E., Cohen, I., Elad, O. & Friedman, A (2014): Innate immune functions of avian intestinal epithelial cells: Response to bacterial stimuli and localization of responding cells in the developing avian digestive tract. PLos 1, 13:e0200393