ABSTRACT
Dendritic cells (DCs) are key arms of immune system, which act in antigen presenting processes, and are considered as a bridge between innate and adaptive immune responses. DCs are found in both lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs. They are called interdigitating dendritic cells (IDCs) in secondary lymphoid organs. IDCs lack lineage surface markers and are positive for S-100 and vimentin. IDC sarcoma (IDCS) is a very rare neoplasm, which mainly affects lymph nodes, though there are reports of extra-nodal involvement. IDCS is thought to have poor prognosis. Although there is no consensus on the treatment modalities, such options as radical surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are performed depending on severity and site of the lesion. In this study, we present a case of IDCS in a 53-year-old male with a history of several skin lesions and prior diagnoses of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and metatypical carcinoma (MTC).
ABSTRACT
A novel member of human coronavirus, named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been recently recognized in China and rapidly spread worldwide. Studies showed the decreasing of peripheral blood lymphocytes in a majority of patients. In this study, we have reported the clinical features, laboratory characteristics, the frequency of peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations, and their apoptosis pattern in Iranian coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) patients. Demographic and clinical data of 61 hospitalized confirmed cases with COVID-19 at Imam Khomeini Hospital were collected and analyzed. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from all samples and the apoptosis pattern was evaluated using Annexin V/propidium iodide method. The frequency of lymphocyte subsets, including T-CD4+ , T-CD8+ , NK, B cells, and monocytes, was measured in all patients and 31 controls by flow cytometry. Our findings demonstrated that the percentage of lymphocytes, CD4+ , and CD8+ T cells were decreased in COVID-19 patients compared with the control group. Regarding the clinical severity, the number of lymphocytes, CD4+ , CD8+ T cells, and NK cells were also decreased in severe cases when compared with mild cases. Finally, our data have also indicated the increase in apoptosis of mononuclear cells from COVID-19 patients which was more remarkable in severe clinical cases. The frequency of immune cells is a useful indicator for prediction of severity and prognosis of COVID-19 patients. These results could help to explain the immunopathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 and introducing novel biomarkers, therapeutic strategies, and vaccine candidates.
