Intraepidermal but not dermal T lymphocytes are positive for a cell-cycle-associated antigen (Ki-67) in mycosis fungoides.
The Ki-67 antibody, which reacts with nuclei of actively proliferating cells, was used in an immunohistochemical study to determine if there was any difference between T cells located in the epidermis rather than the dermis, in mycosis fungoides. In 12 of 14 cases of patch/plaque stage mycosis fungoides, the epidermal T cells were Ki-67 positive, while the dermal T cells were Ki-67 negative in all cases. Both epidermal and dermal T cells belonged primarily to the memory-versus-naive subset. The intraepidermal Ki-67-positive T cells were slightly larger than the dermal Ki-67-negative cells and could be easily distinguished from occasional basal keratinocytes that were also Ki-67 positive. We conclude that dermal T cells, despite expressing HLA-DR and a memory phenotype, are essentially in a resting (Go or noncycling state) in mycosis fungoides. Furthermore, it appears that the movement of T cells into the epidermal compartment is associated with activation and entry into the cell cycle. Such intraepidermal activation may lead to lymphokine release, and play an important pathophysiologic role in mycosis fungoides.
Nickoloff
B J
BJ
Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor 48109-0602.
Griffiths
C E
CE
D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000378:metabolism; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D016028:Receptors, Leukocyte-Adhesion / Q000378:metabolism; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D016028:Receptors, Leukocyte-Adhesion; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1