title: Neutrophils contain cholesterol crystals in transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intracellular components of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) were investigated by transmission electron microscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The lungs from 2 fatal TRALI cases and 2 controls, previously studied by scanning electron microscopy, were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Morphologic data by light and phase microscopy, along with scanning and transmission electron microscopic observations, were collated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2 fatal TRALI cases exhibited dense laminated material within capillaries and postcapillary venules, similar to material identified within their neutrophils when viewed by transmission electron microscopy. This material polarized light and is presumed to be cholesterol crystals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The damage to the pulmonary vascular endothelium in TRALI is related to formation of cholesterol crystals originating within neutrophils.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis Health System, Sacramento, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Ness
authors.forename: Hanne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Grete N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Adamson
authors.forename: Patricia E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Kysar
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Holland
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Basic science; Pulmonary; Technique; Transfusion medicine