title: Tobacco smoking impairs the local immunosurveillance in the uterine cervix. An immunohistochemical study.
abstract: Previous reports have supported an association between tobacco smoking and cervical neoplasia. Our observations show an association between smoking and a reduction of the numerical densities of Langerhans cells and of helper/inducer T lymphocytes in the squamous epithelia of the transformation zone of the uterine cervix. This suggests a local impairment of cell-mediated immunity by smoking. This immunosuppressive effect could support the concept that smoking is an independent risk factor for cervical neoplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, KU Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Poppe
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Ide
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Drijkoningen
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lauweryns
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Van Assche
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007157:Immunologic Surveillance; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens