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Expression and Function of Tight Junctions in the Crypt Epithelium of Human Palatine Tonsils

Mitsuru Go, Takashi Kojima, Ken-ichi Takano, Masaki Murata, Shingo Ichimiya, Hiroshi Tsubota, Tetsuo Himi and Norimasa Sawada

Departments of Otolaryngology (MG,KT,HT,TH) and Pathology (MG,TK,KT,MM,SI,NS), Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan

Correspondence to: Takashi Kojima, PhD, Dept. of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S1, W17, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan. E-mail: ktakashi{at}sapmed.ac.jp

The human palatine tonsils have surface and crypt stratified epithelium and may be initiated via the epithelium to mount immune responses to various presenting antigens. Here we investigated the expression and function of tight junctions in the epithelium of human palatine tonsils from patients with tonsillar hypertrophy or recurrent tonsillitis. Occludin, ZO-1, JAM-1, and claudin-1, -3, -4, -7, -8, and -14 mRNAs were detected in tonsillar hypertrophy. Occludin and claudin-14 were expressed in the uppermost layer of the tonsil surface epithelium, whereas ZO-1, JAM-1, and claudin-1, -4, and -7 were found throughout the epithelium. In the crypt epithelium, claudin-4 was preferentially expressed in the upper layers. In freeze-fracture replicas, short fragments of continuous tight junction strands were observed but never formed networks. In the crypt epithelium of recurrent tonsillitis, the tracer was leaked from the surface regions where occludin and claudin-4 disappeared. Occludin, ZO-1, JAM-1, and claudin-1, -3, -4, and –14, but not claudin-7, mRNAs were decreased in recurrent tonsillitis compared with those of tonsillar hypertrophy. These studies suggest unique expression of tight junctions in human palatine tonsillar epithelium, and the crypt epithelium may possess an epithelial barrier different from that of the surface epithelium. (J Histochem Cytochem 52:1627–1638, 2004)

Key Words: tight junctions • human palatine tonsil • epithelial barrier • crypt • tonsillitis

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