title: [Immunological studies on conjunctivitis follicularis].
abstract: Conjunctivitis follicularis is characterized by the appearance of cellular infiltrates consisting of lymphocytes, eosinophils and mast cells; this has led to the assumption of an allergic etiology in many cases. In a first attempt to prove this hypothesis three cases of conjunctivitis follicularis were investigated using the following immunological methods: (1) determination of immunoglobulins in the lacrimal fluid by means of quantitative precipitation (IgG, IgA, IgM), and by a direct radioimmunoassay for IgE; (2) direct immunofluorescence test on cryostat sections of biopsy specimens of diseased conjunctiva to detect immunoglobulin-producing plasma cells. According to initial results the infiltrated conjunctiva contains considerable numbers of plasma cells producing mainly IgA, and IgM. Plasma cells positively stained with anti-IgG and notably with anti-IgE were only rarely found. These findings, which were also supported by the quantitative Ig determinations in the lacrimal fluids, tend to rule out an allergic, IgE-mediated pathomechanism in these cases.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D012160:Retina / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013666:Tears / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
vernacular_title: Immunologische Untersuchungen bei Conjunctivitis follicularis.