title: Immunopathology of trachomatous conjunctivitis.
abstract: Upper palpebral conjunctival biopsy specimens obtained from eight patients with active trachoma were examined by routine histological and immunohistochemical methods. The epithelium expressed class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) products throughout and class II MHC products in the superficial layers. The epithelial inflammatory infiltrate consisted of polymorphonuclear leucocytes, macrophages, T lymphocytes, and dendritic cells. In the underlying stroma the inflammatory infiltrate was organised as B lymphoid follicles, and there was also a diffuse infiltrate consisting of plasma cells and scattered B lymphoid cells, dendritic cells, T cells, macrophages, and polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Each type of cell has its special location in the tissue. Plasma cells were located on a subepithelial band and as a dense infiltrate round the acini of accessory lacrimal glands. IgA+ plasma cells outnumbered IgG+ cells, whereas IgM+ and IgE+ cells were few. Our data provide good evidence for the presence of both humoral and cell mediated immune responses and a possible role for autoimmune mechanisms in the conjunctival tissues of trachoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Mansoura University Hospital, Egypt.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: el-Asrar
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Van den Oord
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Geboes
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Missotten
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Emarah
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Desmet
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000276:immunology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008264:Macrophages; D008297:Male; D010950:Plasma Cells; D014141:Trachoma / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens