Effect of denervation on lymphocytes and dendritic cells in the rat circumvallate and foliate papillae.

The distribution of dendritic (Langerhans) cells and lymphocytes in rat circumvallate and foliate papillae was examined by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Light microscopic immunohistochemistry using anti-OX62 antibody, which recognizes both gammadelta T lymphocytes and dendritic cells, showed that many OX62-immunoreactive cells had invaded into the trench wall epithelium from the connective tissue at 6 days after sectioning of the glossopharyngeal nerves. The presence of OX62-immunoreactive cells in the epithelium was observed up to 17 days after the denervation, by which time the taste buds had disappeared from the trench wall. The OX62-positive cells were again observed in the connective tissue at 24 and 40 days when taste buds regenerated. The local circulation of OX62-positive cells between the epithelium and connective tissue is suggested. Most of the OX62-positive-cells in the epithelium of circumvallate and foliate papillae were suggested to be gammadelta T cells, since they were round or spindle-shaped. Electron micrographs of OX62-positive cells also indicated that they were lymphocytes. Furthermore, they expressed CD3 but lacked CD4 and CD8 surface markers. A few dendritic cells, which reacted with anti-OX6 antibody, were observed in the circumvallate and foliate papillae in the control and denervated animals, and they were irregular in shape with long cytoplasmic processes. Electron micrographs taken at 6 days showed that the dendritic cells, which were characterized by the presence of Birbeck granules in the cytoplasm, were in contact with lymphocytes. The finding suggests that gammadelta T lymphocytes and dendritic cells in the rat circumvallate and foliate papillae interact with each other to respond to changes such as the presence or absence of taste buds in the epithelium.