title: Distribution of lymphoid cells in tonsillar compartments in relation to infection and age. A quantitative study using image analysis.
abstract: The distribution of lymphoid cells in the mantle zone, germinal center, interfollicular area, and subepithelial area of the tonsil was evaluated quantitatively by image analysis in 66 subjects aged 3 to 66 years. The number of Ig-positive cells in the tonsil decreased with advancing years in all compartments. This inverse correlation to age was statistically significant for IgD-, IgM-, and IgG-positive cells. For T-cells, overall change of each T-cell subset with age was smaller than those of Ig-positive cells. An age-related marked decline was seen for CD4-positive cells only in the subepithelial area and for CD8-positive cells only in the interfollicular area. Ki-67-positive cells, cells undergoing active division, were mainly found in the germinal centers and also diminished with advancing years. Patients with frequent episodes of tonsillitis demonstrated a significant increase of IgD-positive cells and IgG-positive cells in interfollicular and subepithelial compartments and a decrease of CD4-positive T-cells in the germinal centers and subepithelial areas. These results suggest that the tonsillar involution with age is immunologically associated in all compartments with the decrease of Ig-positive cells and Ki-67-positive activated cells resulting in a relative increase of T-cell subsets. The method of image analysis provides a novel and unique approach for quantitative immunohistological study of the tonsil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sapporo Medical College, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Harabuchi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kataura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins