141. Effect of the sympathectomy on the transport and secretion of IgA in the small intestine of Balb/c mice under acute stress

Abstract

The stress response is controlled by the central nervous system, as well as the endocrine and immune systems. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the sympathectomy on the transport and secretion of IgA in the small intestine of Balb/c mice under acute stress. Parameters were evaluated in two groups of mice: those submitted to a blockage of alpha and beta adrenergic receptors, and those that underwent a chemical sympathectomy. Levels of SIgA were measured in intestinal fluid by ELISA. Levels of IgA and pIgR were determined in epithelial cells by Western Blot. In mice with alpha adrenergic receptor blockage, there was an increase in levels of SIgA in intestinal fluid. Contrarily, in mice with beta adrenergic receptor blockage, there was a decrease in levels of SIgA in intestinal fluid as well as in the expression of pIgR in epithelial cells. It is likely that the increase in SIgA levels in the former group was mediated in part by an increase in intestinal permeability, which allowed for the transfer of IgA towards the intestinal lumen, coming from sites other than the intestinal lamina propia. In the mice that underwent sympathectomy, there was an increase in the levels of SIgA, IgA and pIgR, which was probably due to the secretion of glucocorticoids in response to stress. This work was supported for SIP-COFFA-IPN.