Appearance of T-cell subpopulations during the time course of beryllium-induced granulomas.
Employing monoclonal antibodies that identify T-helper/inducer or T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells, we investigated the T-lymphocyte subsets in hypersensitivity granulomas developed after beryllium salt injection. T-helper/inducer cells were detected at all stages of the lesions, including early nonspecific inflammatory lesions seen at 3 weeks after injection. They formed clusters intermingled with the mononuclear phagocytes in granulomatous lesions, but were not found among the epithelioid cells. In contrast, T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells were slow to appear in the lesions and constituted very small numbers in mature epithelioid cell granulomas of 9-11 weeks. These findings suggest that T-helper/inducer cells may be responsible for the evolution of the perivascular infiltrate of mononuclear cells. Furthermore, appearance of T-helper/inducer cells without T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells may contribute to the development and organization of epithelioid cells and their maturity in the granulomatous lesions.
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001608:Beryllium / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006099:Granuloma / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C032777:beryllium oxide; D001608:Beryllium