Langerhans' cells and smoking in intraepithelial neoplasia of the cervix.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the intraepithelial population of Langerhans' cells (LC) in normal cervix epithelium adjacent to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN 3) and correlate to smoking habit.


METHODS
Cases in this study included conization specimens from 48 women affected by CIN 3. The LC count was performed in areas without histopathologic alteration adjacent to CIN 3. The control group is compound by normal cervix from 46 hysterectomy specimens. The identification of LC was done by immunohistochemical study demonstrating immunoreactivity to S-100 protein. The number of intraepithelial LC was determined using 400x magnification light microscope in 10 high-power fields, and results were expressed in number of cells per square millimeter (LC/mm(2)).


RESULTS
In the control group, there was lower number of Langerhans' cells in smokers than in non-smokers (P = 0.045). There was lower number of Langerhans' cells in normal areas adjacent to CIN 3 than in normal cervix control group (P = 0.004). There was no significant difference in the number of Langerhans' cells in normal areas of the cervix with CIN 3 between smokers and non-smokers (P = 0.991). The number of cigarettes consumed daily, time of consume, total number of cigarettes consumed showed a reduced LC count, yet was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
It was revealed that smoking reduces the number of intraepithelial Langerhans' cells in the uterine cervix. In women with CIN 3, the LC count was lower, despite the habit of smoking.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Gynecologic Oncology Clinic, R. Caraibas, 666 ap. 63-ZIP Code 05020-000, Vila Pompéia, São Paulo-SP, Brazil. rfnadais@terra.com.br
Ricardo da Fonseca
Rda F
Nadais
Adriana Bittencourt
AB
Campaner
Sebastião
S
Piato
Maria Antonieta
MA
Longo Galvão
Roberto Euzébio
RE
dos Santos
Tsutomo
T
Aoki
D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*