T lymphocytes in lesional skin of patients with dermatitis herpetiformis.
Ten patients with dermatitis herpetiformis had biopsies taken from involved and uninvolved skin. Monoclonal antibodies and the avidin-biotin peroxidase staining technique were used to stain for T cells and Langerhans cells in skin sections. A significant increase in the number of CD3-positive T cells was observed in the upper dermis of involved compared with uninvolved skin (P < 0.0005). Most of the T cells in involved skin were CD45RO-positive memory cells; CD4-positive T cells exceeded the number of CD8-positive T cells by a ratio of 4:1. In addition, CD1a-positive dendritic cells were observed within the clumps of T cells in involved dermis in nine of the 10 patients, but were absent from the dermis of uninvolved skin. Double immunofluorescent staining demonstrated that approximately 20-40% of the CD3-positive T cells were activated, and expressed the HLA-DR antigen. These findings suggest that activated T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of dermatitis herpetiformis skin lesions.
Department of Dermatology, St Mary's Hospital, London, U.K.
J J
JJ
Garioch
B S
BS
Baker
J N
JN
Leonard
L
L
Fry
D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D003874:Dermatitis Herpetiformis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D017252:CD3 Complex; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens