Class II beta-tubulin is a novel marker for human tonsillar M cells and follicular dendritic cells.
OBJECTIVE
Membranous (M) cell of the human palatine tonsil is an antigen entry site for mucosal infection, but its location is obscure in histological sections. Recently, a microarray analysis has demonstrated that clusterin, annexin A5, CD44, MMP14, and beta-tubulin are candidate genes of M cell marker in mice. Among these genes, we here describe class II beta-tubulin as a new marker for human tonsillar M cells and follicular dendritic cells (FDCs), and present its usefulness for diagnosis of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphomas (AILTs).


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting for class II beta-tubulin were performed using 81 cases of lymphoid, gastrointestinal and thyroid tissues, and an FDC cell line, respectively. Double immunostaining with clusterin and class II beta-tubulin were carried out.


RESULTS
Class II beta-tubulin localized the M cells and FDCs in the palatine tonsils (10/10, 100%) and adenoids (10/10, 100%). It was colocalized with clusterin in the palatine tonsils. However, class II beta-tubulin staining did not identify intestinal M cells in the intestines. Immunoblot analysis revealed that class II beta-tubulin expression was upregulated in HK cells, a normal FDC cell line. Class II beta-tubulin immunostaining highlighted hyperplastic FDC meshworks in all AILTs (14/14, 100%).


CONCLUSIONS
Class II beta-tubulin is a specific histochemical marker for human tonsillar M cells and FDCs. Thus, class II beta-tubulin immunostaining may be useful to identify tonsillar M cells and to diagnose FDC proliferative lesions such as AILT.
Department of Pathology, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Ansan, Korea.
Ju-Han
JH
Lee
Su-Kang
SK
Kong
Zheng-Sheng
ZS
Wu
Qiang
Q
Wu
Jongseon
J
Choe
Hyun Yee
HY
Cho
Seung Yeon
SY
Ha
Sun Ho
SH
Kee
Young-Sik
YS
Kim
D000234:Adenoids / Q000473:pathology; D001065:Appendix / Q000473:pathology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005871:Castleman Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002828:Choristoma / Q000473:pathology; D051152:Clusterin / Q000032:analysis; D020566:Dendritic Cells, Follicular / Q000473:pathology*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007082:Ileum / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology; D014404:Tubulin / Q000032:analysis*; D015854:Up-Regulation
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495242:CLU protein, human; D051152:Clusterin; D014404:Tubulin