In vitro stimulation of mouse spleen cells by COL17A1. In vitro stimulation of mouse spleen cells by COL17A1

Tertiary lymphoid tissues (TLTs) are formed in systemic organs manifesting chronic inflammation. Herein, we found that the renal pelvis (RP) could form urinary tract-associated lymphoid tissues (UTALTs) in a TLT-formation manner in humans and mice with chronic kidney disease (CKD), regardless of infectious pyelonephritis. Furthermore, collagen type XVII alpha 1 chain (COL17A1), localized ectopically to the transitional epithelium (TE) covering the UTALT, where it participated in TE development via immunological stimulation of UTALT-forming cells. Overall design: The spleens were isolated from C57BL/6N at 6-month old, minced, washed, resuspended, and cultured. These cultured cells were stimulated with or without recombinant human COL17A1 for 3 hours. And then, RNA was collected and gene expression was analyzed.