Abstract
The polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) is an integral membrane protein expressed by intestinal epithelial cells. The physiological role of pIgR is to bind and transport dimeric IgA (dIgA) antibodies across the intestinal epithelial cell layer. The secretion of dIgA into the intestinal lumen depends on 2 factors: (1) the production of dIgA by mucosal plasma cells and (2) the transport of dIgA across the epithelium mediated by pIgR. A considerable amount of research focusing on the effect of prebiotics and probiotics on the expression of dIgA has been conducted. However, it has not yet been determined whether prebiotics and/or probiotics influence the expression of intestinal pIgR; thus, we undertook the investigation described herein.
