Epithelial class II MHC antigen normally expressed by submandibular glands of elderly people.
Immunohistochemical studies were made on 81 submandibular glands obtained from over 60-year-old autopsy cases. Those patients who had had either sialolithiasis or autoimmune diseases were not included in this study. HLA-DR expression was observed in the great majority (95.1%) of the aged submandibular glands, especially on the serous acinar cells and the intercalated duct cells, regardless of the appearance of focal lymphocytic infiltration. The incidence of HLA-DP expression was slightly lower (85.2%) and HLA-DQ was much lower (42.0%) than that of HLA-DR. These data support the proposal that epithelial expression of class II antigens in aged glands is a focal sign of age-related immunological disorders.
Kurashima
C
C
Department of Pathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Japan.
Utsuyama
M
M
Hayashi
Y
Y
Hirokawa
K
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes
D006681:HLA-D Antigens