Granzyme-B-containing lymphocyte involvement in epidermal injury in graft-versus-host disease.
BACKGROUND
Skin lesions from graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) show histological features of epidermal cell death with lymphocyte infiltration. Perforin and granzyme B are involved in the process of apoptosis induced by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL).


OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the role of CTL in the mechanism of epidermal injury in GVHD.


METHODS
We studied immunohistochemical staining for granzyme B and perforin in the skin lesions of 8 patients who developed GVHD after bone marrow transplantation.


RESULTS
Granzyme-B-positive lymphocytes were CD8 positive and were observed in the epidermis of 3 out of 6 specimens in acute GVHD, and of 5 specimens of chronic GVHD except for 1 sclerotic type in which it was negative. Perforin-positive lymphocytes were observed in the epidermis of the specimens from 1 acute and 1 chronic GVHD.


CONCLUSIONS
Granzyme B derived from CTL may be involved in the mechanisms of epidermal injury in GVHD.
Higaki
Y
Y
Department of Dermatology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan. y-higaki@derm.twmu.ac.jp
Yamada
O
O
Okamura
T
T
Mizoguchi
H
H
Kawashima
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D020405:Dermis / Q000473:pathology; D004817:Epidermis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D053804:Granzymes; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D054353:Perforin; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D054353:Perforin; C509213:GZMB protein, human; D053804:Granzymes; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases