Primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) are skeletogenenic cells that produce a calcareous endoskeleton in developing sea urchin larvae. The PMCs fuse to form a cavity in which spicule matrix proteins and calcium are secreted forming the mineralized spicule. In this study, living sea urchin embryos were stained with fluorescently conjugated wheat germ agglutinin, a lectin that preferentially binds to PMCs, and the redistribution of this fluorescent tag was examined during sea urchin development. Initially, fluorescence was associated primarily with the surface of PMCs. Subsequently, the fluorescent label redistributed to intracellular vesicles in the PMCs. As the larval skeleton developed, intracellular granular staining diminished and fluorescence appeared in the spicules. Spicules that were cleaned to remove membranous material associated with the surface exhibited bright fluorescence, which indicated that fluorescently labelled lectin had been incorporated into the spicule matrix. The results provide evidence for a cellular pathway in which material is taken up at the cell surface, sequestered in intracellular vesicles and then incorporated into the developing spicule.

In sea urchin embryos, blastula formation occurs between the seventh and tenth cleavage and is associated with changes in the permeability properties of the epithelium although the structures responsible for mediating these changes are not known. Tight junctions regulate the barrier to paracellular permeability in chordate epithelia; however, the sea urchin blastula epithelium lacks tight junctions and instead possesses septate junctions. Septate junctions are unique to non-chordate invertebrate cell layers and have a characteristic ladder-like appearance whereby adjacent cells are connected by septa. To determine the function of septate junctions in sea urchin embryos, the permeability characteristics of the embryonic sea urchin epithelia were assessed. First, the developmental stage at which a barrier to paracellular permeability arises was examined and found to be in place after the eighth cleavage division. The mature blastula epithelium is impermeable to macromolecules; however, brief depletion of divalent cations renders the epithelium permeable. The ability of the blastula epithelium to recover from depletion of divalent cations and re-establish a barrier to paracellular permeability using fluorescently labelled lectins was also examined. Finally, septate junction structure was examined in embryos in which the permeability status of the epithelium was known. The results provide evidence that septate junctions mediate the barrier to paracellular permeability in sea urchin embryos.

The trend towards an increased consumption of minimally processed plant food results in a higher intake of non-nutritive compounds such as lectins. Lectins are typically globular proteins that are resistant to digestion in the gastrointestinal tract. They affect the integrity of the intestinal epithelium and the absorption of dietary antigens, and induce the release of allergic mediators from mast cells in vitro. Based on this information we have studied whether dietary wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) could be involved in triggering food allergies. Brown Norway rats were immunized intraperitoneally using ovalbumin (OVA; 10 μg/rat) and 10 d later treated for five consecutive days with WGA (10 mg/rat per d) administered intragastrically. Rats were then orally challenged with OVA (100 μg/rat) 1 h after the last WGA application, and blood was collected 4 h later. Immunological responses (anti-OVA immunoglobulins E and G, rat mast cell protease II, interferon-γ and lymphocyte proliferation) were measured and lymphocyte subpopulations were determined. In immunized rats WGA treatment resulted in increased serum rat mast cell protease II concentrations (pre-challenge 0.26 (SE 0.08) ΜG/ML, POST-CHALLENGE 0.49 (se 0.09) μg/ml; P<0.01) 4 h after the OVA challenge. After 5 d serum concentrations of anti-OVA immunoglobulin E were significantly increased only in the immunized controls (absorbance at 405 nm on days 14 and 19 was 0.09 (se 0.008) and 0.24 (se 0.046) respectively; P=0.02), while in WGA-treated rats no significant increase was seen (0.08 (se 0.004) and 0.15 (se 0.037 respectively; P=0.14). CD4+ : CD8+ T lymphocytes in the spleen was significantly increased at this time (OVA 1.1 (sd 0.2), OVA+WGA 1.4 (sd 0.1), P<0.05). The treatment did not impair the proliferation and interferon-γ production of mesenteric lymphocytes. In conclusion, these data suggest that high dietary intake of lectins such as WGA may affect the allergic response towards oral antigens in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue.