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Intraepithelial lymphocytes bearing the γ/δ receptor in the oral and jejunal mucosa in patients with dermatitis herpetiformis
Author(s) -
Patinen Pertti,
Savilahti Erkki,
Hietanen Jarkko,
Malmström Maria,
Mäki Markku,
Reunala Timo
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
european journal of oral sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.802
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1600-0722
pISSN - 0909-8836
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0722.1997.tb00191.x
Subject(s) - intraepithelial lymphocyte , t cell receptor , dermatitis herpetiformis , medicine , coeliac disease , pathology , jejunum , epithelium , intestinal mucosa , oral mucosa , immunology , gastroenterology , t cell , immune system , disease
Lymphocytes bearing T cell receptor (TcR) γ/δ are increased in the jejunal mucosa of patients with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) and coeliac disease. In this study, we examined whether increased numbers of γ/δ TcR positive lymphocytes occur in the oral mucosa of patients with DH. Oral and jejunal rnucosal biopsies were taken from 13 newly diagnosed and 13 gluten free diet (GFD)‐treated patients with DH. Monoclonal antibodies and avidin‐biotin peroxidase method was used for staining, and TcR positive cells were counted from the buccal and jejunal epithelium. Very few γ/δ TcR positive lymphocytes were seen in the buccal epithelium of untreated or GFD‐treated DH patients (median 0.4 and 0.3 cells/mm 2 ), whereas α/β TcR positive lymphocytes were frequent in both groups of DH patients (154 and 250 cells/mm 2 ) and healthy controls (135 cells/mm 2 ). The numbers of γ/δ TcR positive intraepithelial lymphocytes were significantly increased in the jejunum of both untreated (43 cells/mm) and GFD‐treated (27 cells/mm) DH patients compared to control patients (2.2 cells/mm). The present study did not, therefore, disclose any evidence for active recruitment of γ/δ TcR positive lymphocytes in the oral epithelium, but showed substantial amounts of intraepithelial γ/β TcR positive lymphocytes both in DH patients and healthy controls.