title: Eosinophil and neutrophil degranulation in ophthalmic lesions of Wegener's granulomatosis.
abstract: Although eosinophils and neutrophils have been identified in orbital and corneoscleral tissues in some patients with Wegener's granulomatosis, their role in the pathogenesis of the disorder is not completely understood. Nine specimens from six patients with Wegener's granulomatosis and autopsy controls from patients without ophthalmic disease were evaluated with indirect immunofluorescence for eosinophil granule major basic protein and neutrophil elastase. Extracellular deposition of both major basic protein and elastase was identified in orbital tissues from all the patients with Wegener's granulomatosis. Two of the specimens were from enucleated eyes with corneoscleral disease; extracellular deposition of eosinophil major basic protein was identified in one eye, and extracellular neutrophil elastase was deposited in both eyes in lesional areas. None of the control tissues showed major basic protein or elastase deposition. These findings suggest that both eosinophils and neutrophils participate in the pathogenesis of the orbital and corneoscleral manifestations of Wegener's granulomatosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Trocme
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Bartley
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Gleich
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Leiferman
mesh_terms: D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015550:Cell Degranulation; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D015353:Eye Enucleation; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000201:enzymology*; D009916:Orbital Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000378:metabolism; D012260:Ribonucleases; D015422:Scleral Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D012260:Ribonucleases; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase