title: Lymph node immunohistology in intravenous drug abusers with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy.
abstract: Lymph node biopsy specimens from 16 intravenous drug abusers with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy were evaluated by immunohistochemical methods using a panel of antisera to detect different cell populations. The 11 cases that we tested on cryostat sections showed an increased number of Leu-2a-positive cells (cytotoxic-suppressor phenotype) in the follicular centers and a significantly reduced helper-to-suppressor T-cell mean ratio when compared with control tissues. In these 11 patients the peripheral helper-suppressor ratio was at the lower normal limit or inverted. Ten cases tested for anti-human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III antibodies were positive. In all 16 cases, immunohistology of paraffin-embedded sections demonstrated a polyclonal B population; 12 of 15 patients tested had polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, mostly IgG. The mixed-cell population of the lymph node sinuses was composed mostly of Leu-M1-positive and lysozyme-positive cells and, to a lesser extent, by alpha 1-antichymotrypsin-positive and S100 protein-positive cells. It seems that many of the immunologic dysfunctions found in these patients appear to be reflected in a fairly repetitive immunohistologic pattern.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000276:immunology; D004727:Endothelium / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000145:classification; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007136:Immunoglobulins