ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Large numbers of plasma cells (PC) localise in the intestinal lamina propria (LP) where they play a critical role in the defence against pathogens. This study analyses the level of maturation reached by normal human colon LPPC in comparison with that of bone marrow (BM) PC. METHODS: A technique was designed to purify LPPC by combining collagenase digestion of the mucosal layer and immunomagnetic selection of CD54(+) LP cells. It provided highly purified PC, as demonstrated by morphology, CD38(h) phenotype, and cytoplasmic IgA staining criteria. This procedure allowed comparison of in vitro functional capacities and a broad phenotypic analysis of BMPC and LPPC. RESULTS: LPPC and BMPC exhibited identical expression of differentiation markers (CD19(-/+), CD20(-), HLA-DR(low/-), VS38c(high)), survival molecules (CD95 (low/-), Bcl-2(+)), and B cell transcription factor profile, as well as similar in vitro Ig secreting kinetics (14 days) and lack of susceptibility to apoptosis by CD95 ligation. In contrast, they markedly differed in adhesion molecule expression, as LPPC showed higher levels of CD44 and CD21 and were alpha 4 beta 7(+) whereas BMPC lacked this integrin and expressed higher levels of CD49d and CD31. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that PC at effector sites of the humoral response (BM and LP) show similar high differentiation, survival, and functional features but display a distinctive pattern of adhesion molecules, probably related to their respective homing locations.
Subject(s)
Colon/immunology , Intestinal Mucosa/immunology , Plasma Cells/immunology , Bone Marrow Cells/immunology , Cell Adhesion Molecules/metabolism , Cell Culture Techniques , Cell Differentiation , Cell Survival , DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Flow Cytometry/methods , Humans , Immunity, Mucosal , Immunoglobulin A/metabolism , Immunomagnetic Separation , Immunophenotyping , PAX5 Transcription Factor , Plasma Cells/cytology , Plasma Cells/physiology , Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1 , Repressor Proteins/metabolism , Transcription Factors/metabolism , fas Receptor/analysisABSTRACT
B lymphocytes that infiltrate the thyroid (Thy-B cells) in Graves' patients appear to be implicated in the pathophysiology of this disorder. The goal of the present study was to examine the nature of these Thy-B cells. To this end, Thy-B lymphocytes were isolated from surgical thyroidal samples, and their phenotype was determined by using mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAb) directed against a wide variety of surface markers, followed by flow cytometry multicolor analysis. The results show that most Thy-B cells (approximately 60%) exhibited IgM(+) IgD(low to -) surface immunoglobulin (Ig) profile, whereas the minor cell fraction (approximately 30%) consisted of switched IgG(+) memory B lymphocytes. Thy-B cells expressed low levels of CD5, CD23, and CD62L, which distinguished them from the resting B-cell pool, the major B-cell subset in the blood. In addition, they lacked CD38, CD10, and CD71, characteristic molecules for the germinal center B lymphocytes. In addition, Thy-B lymphocytes showed peculiar patterns both of adhesion molecules (CD62L(-), CD44(intermediate)), and of activation molecules (CD69(+), CD80(+), and, in part, CD95(+)). Taken together, these results suggest that the Thy-B lymphocyte subset consists of a combination of IgM(+) B cells resembling marginal zone B lymphocytes, and isotype-switched memory B cells.
Subject(s)
B-Lymphocytes/physiology , Graves Disease/physiopathology , Immunologic Memory/physiology , Thyroid Gland/physiopathology , Adolescent , Adult , Antigens, CD/metabolism , B-Lymphocyte Subsets/physiology , B-Lymphocytes/pathology , Biomarkers , Cell Adhesion Molecules/metabolism , Female , Flow Cytometry , Graves Disease/pathology , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Phenotype , Thyroid Gland/pathologyABSTRACT
A retrospective review was conducted among 126 patients treated for thyroidal carcinoma--86 papillary, 31 follicular, 4 anaplastic, 1 lymphoma, and 4 non-familiar medullary--in our area between 1979 and 1992. Diagnostic and clinical findings obtained were evaluated along with those from physical examinations, imaging techniques (i.e., echography and gamma spectrometry), and histological study (i.e., fine needle puncture-aspiration and intra-operatory biopsy). The majority (88 cases) presented a hard node or one of elastic consistency, while in 34 cases, there was a diffuse or nodular increase. Only four patients manifested a normal thyroid in the physical examination. A 2.4% had a normal gammagraphy, 70% presented a cold node, 1.6% an alient node, and there was evidence of heterogeneous uptake in 23.7%. In the echography study, 63.3% were noted as being solid nodes, 11.4% as cysts, and 24% as mixed. The sensitivity of the fine needle puncture-aspiration was 76.4% and 66.6% for intraoperative biopsy.
