Evidence for heterogeneity of T cell expansion in polymyositis and inclusion body myositis.
Vbeta usage of muscle-infiltrating T lymphocytes in polymyositis (PM) and sporadic inclusion body myositis (s-IBM) was correlated with clinical and histopathological features. Immunohistochemical analysis was combined with complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) length analysis in nine muscle biopsies of eight PM patients and six biopsies of five s-IBM patients. Vbeta usage was heterogeneous in seven patients. Four of these patients had definite PM with endomysial located T cell infiltrates, but T cells specifically surrounding and invading individual non-necrotic fibers were not found. In two s-IBM patients, Vbeta 2 usage was increased. In one of them, a repeat biopsy showed a heterogeneous Vbeta usage. We conclude that clonal expansion of muscle-infiltrating T cells could only be detected in part of the patients. Explanations may be that clonal expansion does not take place in all disease phases and that PM is a heterogeneous disease with respect to pathogenesis.
van der Meulen
M F G
MF
Department of Neurology, G03.228, Division of Neuromuscular Disorders, University Medical Center Utrecht, P.O. Box 85500 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands. M.F.G.vdMeulen@neuro.zau.nl
van Wichen
D F
DF
van Blokland
W T M
WT
van den Berg
L H
LH
Wokke
J H J
JH
Hoogendijk
J E
JE
de Weger
R A
RA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D018979:Myositis, Inclusion Body / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D017285:Polymyositis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell