Incidence of lymphocytic esophagitis in baboons.
BACKGROUND
We previously reported a novel histological phenotype of chronic esophagitis, lymphocytic esophagitis, in patients without gastroesophageal reflux. The aim of the present study was to explore the possible occurrence of lymphocytic esophagitis in baboons.


METHODS
Filed hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained sections from the esophagi of 103 consecutive baboons were reviewed. Lymphocytic esophagitis is characterized by high numbers of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) gathered mainly around papillary areas and by none to occasional CD15+ intraepithelial granulocytes.


RESULTS
Forty-five of the 103 baboons (43.7%) had lymphocytic esophagitis. A mean of 52 IELs/high-power field were found around the papillae. Immunostains showed that the IEL population in lymphocytic esophagitis was composed of T-cells, a subset of natural killer cells and of helper and inflammatory T-cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Since lymphocytic esophagitis is by far much more frequent in baboons than in humans, the baboon emerges as a good animal model to study the etiology of this inflammatory disease in humans.
Southwest National Primate Research Center, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, TX, 78245-0549, USA. Carlos.Rubio@ki.se
Carlos A
CA
Rubio
Edward J
EJ
Dick
Abiel
A
Orrego
Gene B
GB
Hubbard
D000818:Animals; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015994:Incidence; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010215:Papio