Immune heterogeneity of head and tail pancreatic lymph nodes in non-obese diabetic mice

The pancreatic lymph node is critical to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diabetes, as it constitutes the initial site for the priming of autoreactive T cells. In this study, we compared the histopathology of the head pancreatic lymph node (HPLN) to the tail pancreatic lymph node (TPLN) in NOD mice. HPLNs and TPLNs were harvested from 4 week-, 8 week-, and 12 week-old NOD mice, and their microvasculature, extracellular matrix, and immune cell subsets were characterized. The percentages of B cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs) were much higher in the HPLN, as compared to the TPLN. Notably, the HPLNs of 12 week-old mice were characterized by greater expansion of high endothelial venules (HEVs) and lymphatic vessels in comparison to the TPLNs. Finally, we observed a higher density of extracellular matrix (ECM) fibers surrounding the lymphatic vasculature in the HPLNs than in the TPLNs. These data for the first time demonstrate that the HPLN possesses a different immune microanatomy and organization from the TPLN. These novel observations unveil a major phenotypic difference between two types of LNs from the same organ and may highlight an independent fundamental role played by each PLN during the establishment of T1D.