title: Characterization of the inflammatory infiltrate and expression of endothelial cell adhesion molecules in lupus erythematosus tumidus.
abstract: Lupus erythematosus tumidus (LET) is a disease with characteristic clinical and histopathologic features that has not always been considered a subset of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). Although LET was first mentioned in the literature in 1930, it has rarely been documented, and immunohistochemical studies have never been performed. The aim of the present study was to characterize the inflammatory infiltrate and to analyze the expression of endothelial cell adhesion molecules in skin specimens from patients with LET and to compare the results with those from patients with other variants of CLE, such as discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) and subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE). Cryostat sections of lesional skin specimens from ten patients with LET demonstrated an infiltrate composed of more than 75% CD4+, CD8+, and HLA-DR+ cells. Interestingly, CD45RO+ cells, in contrast to CD45RA+ cells, were the prevailing inflammatory cell population. Compared with skin specimens from patients with DLE and SCLE, the mean expression of CD4+ and CD8+ cells was higher (but not significantly so) in LET, and no differences were observed with the other three antibodies. Furthermore, in contrast to controls, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular adhesion molecule-1, E-selectin, and P-selectin showed the same expression pattern in skin specimens from patients with DLE, SCLE, and LET. In conclusion, the inflammatory infiltrate of LET primarily consists of CD4+/CD8+ lymphocytes. Furthermore, expression of endothelial cell adhesion molecules was equally upregulated in LET compared with the expression in DLE and SCLE, suggesting a similar immunopathomechanism of these subtypes of CLE.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cell Biology, ZMBE, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Münster, Germany. kuhnan@uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: Annegret
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sonntag
authors.forename: Percy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: Mosaad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Megahed
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vestweber
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruzicka
mesh_terms: D006631:Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing) / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D008178:Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D019007:P-Selectin; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; C076668:AOC3 protein, human; D006631:Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing); D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens