Intraperitoneal Administration of Tetanus Toxoid Elicits a Specific Response of Antibody-Secreting Cells in the Peritoneal Cavity

Abstract

Anatomical studies suggested that the mammalian peritoneum plays an important role in immunological processes. Attention has primarily focussed on the greater omentum where “milky spots” cells play a role in the immunological defense of the peritoneal cavity.^1,2,3,4,5 The peritoneal route of immunization has been used in experimental animals as an effective site for induction of both systemic and mucosal immune responses. ^6,7,8 Kroese et al.⁹ showed that B cells from the murine peritoneal cavity repopulated the intestinal lamina propria of recipient mice with IgA-secreting cells. It was estimated that up to 50% of murine intestinal IgA-secreting cells were derived from surface IgA-negative precursor in the peritoneal cavity. Recently, Solvason et al.¹⁰ have demonstrated that human fetal omentum may serve as an additional site of B cell generation. These findings prompted us to study the potential of human peritoneal B cells to differentiate into antibody-secreting cells (AbSC). Patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) represent a group of human subjects with a permanent access to the peritoneal cavity through an indwelling catheter.¹¹ We immunized patients on CAPD intraperitoneally (i.p.) with tetanus toxid (TT), a well established protein antigen, to examine whether it can elicit specific antibody production by peritoneal B cells.