Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., Volume 25, Number 1, July, 2001 69-77

Naive and Memory T Cells Migrate in Comparable Numbers through the Normal Rat Lung
Only Effector T Cells Accumulate and Proliferate in the Lamina Propria of the Bronchi

Birgit Luettig, Marcus Kaiser, Ulrike Bode, Eric B. Bell, Sheila M. Sparshott, Michael Bette, and Jürgen Westermann

Department of Anatomy, Medical School of Hannover, Hannover; Institute of Anatomy, Medical University of Luebeck, Luebeck; Department of Anatomy, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany; and Immunology Research Group, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom

T cells reach the lung via the pulmonary and bronchial arteries that supply the alveolar and bronchial regions. Although these regions are differentially affected by T cell-mediated diseases, the migration of T-cell subsets in these two regions has not been studied. Naive, memory, and effector T cells were injected into congenic rats and traced in sections of normal lung. All three T-cell subsets were found in large numbers in the alveolar region and exited again quickly. Only effector T cells accumulated in the lamina propria of the bronchi. Further, 72 h after injection 6% of the effector T cells still proliferated in the lung, whereas apoptotic effector T cells were only observed 1 h after injection (0.2%). Thus, not only effector and memory but also naive T cells continuously migrated through the lung. The preferential accumulation of effector T cells in the bronchial lamina propria may explain why some diseases preferentially affect the bronchial region.

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