Anti-Ia-reactive cells in mycosis fungoides: a study of skin biopsies, single epidermal cells and circulating T lymphocytes

Abstract

Skin sections, epidermal cells in suspension and circulating T lymphocytes were investigated for the presence of Ia-like antigens in a group of patients with the cutaneous T-cell lymphoma mycosis fungoides (MF) and in healthy controls. Highly purified anti-Ia antibodies were used in indirect immunofluorescence, indirect peroxidase and peroxidase-antiperoxidase techniques. Allogeneic and autologous mixed leukocyte reaction tests with epidermal cells from MF lesions as stimulator cells were also performed. The majority of the dermal lympho-histiocytes and mononuclear cells in the epidermal Pautrier microabscesses expressed Ia-like antigens. So also did a greater proportion of circulating T lymphocytes than in the controls. In some MF patients a high percentage of single epidermal cells of non-lymphoid character also reacted with the antibodies. The possible significance of the present findings for the pathogenesis of MF is discussed.

Immunological markers of Langerhans´ cells in mycosis fungoides skin lesions

“…It also showed that in those MF lesions where no epider mal dendritic cells expressing la antigens could be detected, OK T6 antibody reactive dendritic cells were still unaffected. One possible explanation for the epidermal intercellular la pattern seen in these patients and in other MF cases described before (11,14) could be that la antigens are shedded f r om Langerhans or other dendritic cells as a pan of the disease process. Otherwise the la antigens could be shedded from activated T lymphocytes deposited in the skin, since an increased number of anti-la-reac tive circulating T cells have been noticed in many patients with MF (14).…”

“…The presence of cells expressing la antigens and thymo cyte antigens was investigated by an indirect immuno fluorescence method (IIF) on thin sections of frozen biop sies from normal skin and 4 cases of MF. The sections were double-stained with immunosorbent-purified rab bit-anti-human-Ia antibodies (14) and monoclonal murine anti-human-thymocyte antibodies (OK T6-Ortho) in the first incubation stage. followed by a second incubation with swine-anti-rabbit IgG (DACO) and goat-anti-mouse lgG-F (ab') 2 (Kappel).…”

“…Earlier work in our group has suggested an increase in epidermal cells expressing la antigens in some cases of mycosis fungoides (MF) Jesions (11,14). This is an unexpected finding, since la antigens in normal epidermis seem lo be confined to Langerhans• cells or their precursors (1, 6, 7, I 0) and since ultrastructural studies on MF have not in dicated a corresponding increase in cells containing Birbeck granules (8).…”

Distribution of interleukin-2 receptor bearing lymphocytes in the skin. A comparative study of allergic and irritant contact dermatitis, tuberculin reaction and cutaneous T cell lymphoma

“…migration or activation pattern of T cells in advanced stages of CTCL or whether it merely represents different intensities of inflammation is not known. ll has earlier been shown that the majority of the dermal lymphocytes in the CTCL infiltrates express class Il transplantation antigens, which represent another marker for T cell activation (19).…”