Adherence of RFD-1 positive dendritic cells to the basal surface of thyroid follicular cells in Graves' disease.
HLA-DR positive cells infiltrating Graves' thyroid tissue were examined for their expression of cell-specific immunological markers using light and electron microscopic immunostaining of frozen sections and isolated open thyroid follicles. Graves' glands (n = 21) were enriched of CD68 and Leu-M5/CD11c positive monocytes/macrophages as well as CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes. These cell types were distributed juxta-follicular as well as in other tissue areas. Only the RFD-1 antibody, considered to label antigen-presenting cells including dendritic cells, identified cells invariably located close to the interstitial follicular surface. After follicle isolation, RFD-1 cells were enriched compared to Leu-M5 cells and exclusively adherent to the follicular epithelium. The plasma membrane of RFD-1 positive cells were in intimate contact with the basolateral membrane of the thyrocytes, sometimes extending deeply into the intercellular space of the epithelium. Parallel labelling experiments suggested that the follicle-adhering RFD-1 cells also expressed HLA-DR. Our findings show that in human thyroid glands with Graves' disease RFD-1 positive cells with a dendritic morphology establish direct contact with the follicular epithelium. In view of the fact that both HLA-DR and RFD-1 are associated with antigen-presenting functions it is suggested that a direct interaction of dendritic cells with thyrocytes might be an important component of the autoimmune reaction in Graves' disease.
Department of Surgery, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
J
J
Mölne
S
S
Jansson
L E
LE
Ericson
M
M
Nilsson
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D016764:Cell Polarity; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015415:Biomarkers; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens