title: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis of sural nerve biopsies.
abstract: We performed quantitative immunohistochemical studies of sural nerve biopsy specimens from 20 patients to determine whether endoneurial and epineurial lymphocytic infiltration occurs in diabetic nerves. The diabetic nerves contained a mean of 129 CD3+ cells per tissue section compared to 19 cells in patients with chronic neuropathy matched for the histologic severity of disease, and 0-5 cells in normal control nerves. The T-cell infiltrates in the diabetic nerves were predominantly of the CD8+ cell type. Activated endoneurial lymphocytes expressed immunoreactive cytokines and major histocompatibility class II antigens. Microvasculitis was found in 12 (60%) patients. Infiltrative T cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy through a variety of effector mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York 10032, USA.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Younger
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosoklija
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Hays
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Trojaborg
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Latov
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D007136:Immunoglobulins