title: CD8+CD103+ T cells analogous to intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes infiltrate the pancreas in chronic pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic pancreatitis is a painful chronic inflammatory disease of the exocrine pancreas that is associated with the replacement of functional parenchyma by extended fibrosis and with a massive infiltration of T lymphocytes. However, to date further characterization of infiltrating T cells in chronic pancreatitis has not been undertaken.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the novel method of multiepitope imaging with fluorochrome-tagged specific monoclonal antibodies, which allows the simultaneous localization and characterization of T cells in tissues, we analyzed the distribution and phenotypes of T cells infiltrating the pancreas in chronic pancreatitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean CD4:CD8 ratio in 10 cases of chronic pancreatitis was 2.4:1. In order of decreasing frequency, the following markers were observed: CD45RO, CD18, TCRgammadelta, and CD103. The lymphocytes, especially of the CD4+ subset, were found mainly in the fibrous stroma, but T cells were also observed periductally. A T-cell subset bearing the phenotype CD8+CD103+, analogous to intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes, was found intracalating between the cells of the ductal epithelium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Phenotyping of the T lymphocytes in chronic pancreatitis supports the concept of the involvement of cell-mediated cytotoxicity in the pathogenesis of this disease. In addition, intraepithelial lymphocytes were found interspersed between the ductal epithelial cells, pointing to a role of this T-cell subset as a first-line defense against deleterious epithelial events in chronic pancreatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, and Institute of Medical Neurobiology, University of Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ebert
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ademmer
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Müller-Ostermeyer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Friess
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Büchler
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malfertheiner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D018821:CD18 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000473:pathology*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018821:CD18 Antigens; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; C091367:alpha E integrins; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens