title: Reduced number of Langerhans cells in oral mucosal washings from HIV-1 seropositives.
abstract: In order to elucidate mucosal immunity in HIV-1 seropositive individuals, we investigated oral mucosa washings from 20 HIV-1 seropositive patients for the presence of Langerhans cells (LC) and HIV-1 antigen-positive cells, and compared the results with those obtained from 20 HIV-1 seronegative healthy individuals. Monoclonal antibodies directed against CD1a, HLA-DR, CD3, and p24 were used to identify LC, T cells and HIV-1 core-antigens, respectively. In oral mucosa washings from HIV-1 seropositive patients there was a significant reduction in the number of CD1a+ cells as compared with the healthy subjects. HIV-1 antigen-positive cells were not detected. The reduction of LC in oral mucosa washings from HIV-1 seropositive patients is probably associated with HIV-1 infection. The frequent occurrence of oral mucosal disorders in HIV-1 infected patients may in part be caused by a reduced LC-number and/or function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spörri
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: von Overbeck
authors.forename: C U
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidli
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grunow
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Braathen
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D018949:Antigens, CD1; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000032:analysis; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D018949:Antigens, CD1; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24