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. 2018 Jul;66(7):531-538.
doi: 10.1369/0022155418766063. Epub 2018 Mar 30.

Immunolocalization of Surfactant Proteins SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, and SP-D in Infantile Labial Glands and Mucosa

Mechthild Stoeckelhuber  1 , Friedrich Feuerhake  2 , Christoph Schmitz  3 , Klaus-Dietrich Wolff  1 , Marco R Kesting  1
Affiliations

Immunolocalization of Surfactant Proteins SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, and SP-D in Infantile Labial Glands and Mucosa

Mechthild Stoeckelhuber et al. J Histochem Cytochem. 2018 Jul.

Abstract

Surfactant proteins in different glandular structures of the oral cavity display antimicrobial activity for protection of invading microorganisms. Moreover, they are involved in lowering liquid tension in fluids and facilitate secretion flows. Numerous investigations for studying the occurrence of surfactant proteins in glandular tissues were performed using different methods. In the oral cavity, minor salivary glands secrete saliva continuously for the maintenance of a healthy oral environment. For the first time, we could show that infantile labial glands show expression of the surfactant proteins (SP) SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, and SP-D in acinar cells and the duct system in different intensities. The stratified squamous epithelium of the oral mucosa revealed positive staining for SPs in various cell layers.

Keywords: human labial gland; immunohistochemistry; minor salivary gland; surfactant proteins.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Labial glands at low (A) and high magnification (B, C). H&E stain (A, B). Periodic acid-Schiff stain (C). (D) duct, S (serous cells), M (mucous cells), arrows (demilune cells). Scale bars: A = 250 µm, B = 50 µm, C = 100 µm.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Immunolocalization of SP-A. (A) SP-A-detection, especially in ductal cells of labial glands, with strong expression in the basal cytoplasm (arrow). S (serous cells), M (mucous cells), D (duct). (B) SP-A expression in the basal and intermediate layer of the mucosa. (C) SP-A in lung tissue (positive control). Scale bars: A = 50 µm; B = 100 µm; C = 25 µm. Abbreviation: SP, surfactant protein.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Immunolocalization of SP-B. (A) Positive staining of SP-B in serous and ductal cells. Occasionally, ductal cells exhibited protrusions (inset). S (serous cells), M (mucous cells), D (duct), arrow (demilune cells). (B) SP-B expression in the basal layer of the mucosa. (C) SP-B in lung tissue (positive control). Scale bars: A = 50 µm, inset A = 25 µm; B = 100 µm; C = 25 µm. Abbreviation: SP, surfactant protein.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Immunolocalization of SP-C. (A) SP-C expression in serous cells and the duct system; apically strong expression in ductal cells of the top layer (arrowheads). S (serous cells), M (mucous cells), D (duct), arrow (demilune cells). (B) SP-C expression in the basal and intermediate layer of the mucosa. (C) SP-C in lung tissue (positive control). Scale bars: A = 50 µm; B = 100 µm; C = 25 µm. Abbreviation: SP, surfactant protein.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Immunolocalization of SP-D. (A) SP-D antibody reactivity mainly in the duct system; serous acinar cells showed a supranuclear cytoplasmic staining (arrowheads, inset). S (serous cells), M (mucous cells), D (duct), arrow (demilune cells). (B) SP-D expression predominantly in suprabasal layers. (C) SP-D in lung tissue (positive control). Scale bars: A = 50 µm, inset A = 25 µm; B = 100 µm; C = 25 µm. Abbreviation: SP, surfactant protein.
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