Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma of the colon mimicking stromal tumour

AIMS: Follicular dendritic cell tumours are very rare neoplasms that often occur in lymph nodes. We report here a case in the colon, a hitherto unreported site, in a 37-year-old female. The differentiation from gastrointestinal stromal tumour is emphasized. METHODS and RESULTS: The tumour was tan, elastic and solid with surface ulceration. Microscopically, it was composed of oval to spindle tumour cells with syncytial cytoplasm arranged in fascicular and whorled patterns. There were many infiltrating lymphocytes. The histological appearance resembled gastrointestinal stromal tumour, thymoma or meningioma. Distinct from the stromal tumour, the lymph node was also involved by the tumour. Immunohistochemically, the tumour cells were positive for CD21, CD35 and CD68, but negative for cytokeratin, CD34, smooth muscle actin, desmin, S100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, leukocyte common antigen, HMB-45 and c-kit. In-situ hybridization study was negative for Epstein-Barr virus RNA sequences. Ultrastructurally, the tumour cells possessed cytoplasmic processes joined by desmosomes. CONCLUSIONS: This entity should be considered in the list of differential diagnoses for gastrointestinal stromal tumour. The lymph node metastasis and immunohistochemical features are of value for identification of this rare neoplasm.     

Study of induction of activation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with a non-activating form of anti-CD3 MoAb in autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD).

Anti-CD3 (OKT3) MoAb is a mitogenic agent which activates lymphocytes. We have studied the effects of murine anti-human OKT3 MoAb (IgG1) alone or in combination with IL-2, human thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroperoxidase (TPO) antigens on the proliferation of whole peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) (including monocytes) or subtypes (T, CD4+, CD8+, B) as measured by tritiated thymidine (3H-TdR) incorporation. B cell differentiation was studied by measuring numbers of IgG-secreting cells and specific anti-TPO/anti-Tg-secreting cells by SPOT ELISA. PBMC or lymphocyte subtypes, obtained from 45 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), 40 Graves' disease (GD) and 51 normal controls were cultured in 96 microtitre plates for 6 days in the presence of OKT3 MoAb at final concentrations 25-250 ng/ml, IL-2 15 U/ml, Tg and TPO (1 micrograms/ml). Then cultures were pulsed with 0.2 microCi 3H-TdR/well and incorporation was measured after 18 h. IgG and anti-TPO/Tg-secreting cells were detected at 7 days. Higher proliferative responses from whole PBMC preparations in response to any of the combinations including OKT3 MoAb were observed in the HT preparations, while the basal values were the lowest. IL-2 alone increased these responses markedly, but equally in all groups. IL-2 in combination with OKT3 had an additive effect on proliferation, with higher responses in HT. Tg and TPO antigens did not change these responses. Most HT preparations responded with their maximum proliferation to the lowest concentration of OKT3 MoAb (25 ng/ml), whereas in GD and control preparations of PBMC these responses were shifted to higher concentrations (250 ng/ml); even with those, proliferation was not so enhanced in controls when compared with HT and GD preparations. In contrast, the proliferative responses of T cells alone and subpopulations of CD8+ suppressor/cytotoxic cells were decreased in HT preparations compared with controls. Monocytes were necessary for proliferation. In the subpopulation of B cells (> 95% pure) and CD4+ helper/inducer cells, differences did not reach significance. In spite of the effect on proliferation, OKT3 MoAb only mildly but significantly increased the numbers of IgG-secreting cells in HT and GD preparations and did not stimulate synthesis of specific antibodies. Our data suggest that the increased proliferative responses of whole PBMC to OKT3 MoAb in HT preparations might be due to insufficient activation of T suppressor/cytotoxic cells.     

脐血来源的树突状细胞增强CIK细胞的杀伤作用

为确认体外诱导出的成熟脐血来源树突状细胞 (CBDC )可以引发强大抗肿瘤免疫反应 ,CBDC培养 12d后用电镜分析形态 ,用流式细胞仪检测其表型。在不同培养时间 ,用3 H TdR掺入法检测CBDC和细胞因子诱导杀伤细胞 (CIK )的扩增功能 ;用MTT法检测被CBDC激活的CIK抗肿瘤活性。结果表明 ,体外诱导出形态典型的DC ,高表达主要组织相容性抗原I、II类分子、CD5 4 ,也表达CD80、CD83、CD1a,不表达CD6 8。体外培养 12d成熟的CBDC ,能使CIK以最高的比率扩增 ,2种细胞最佳混合比为 1∶10时被激活的CIK杀伤BEL 74 0 2肝癌细胞的功能最强 ,最佳效靶比为 80∶1     

Antigen presentation of Type II collagen in rats

Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is a T-cell dependent disease of rats which follows immunization with bovine type II collagen (bCII). Susceptibility to CIA is linked to the genes encoding the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), suggesting that antigen presentation is important in disease pathogenesis. Antigen-presenting cells (APC) (macrophages, dendritic cells (DC) and B cells) were prepared from WA/KIR/KCL rats and presentation of antigen, in the form of native protein (bCII) or synthetic peptide (bCII:184-198), was assessed in T-cell proliferation assays. Whilst macrophages inhibited proliferative responses to bCII, splenic or thymic low density cells, enriched for DC, presented both bCII and bCII(184-198) peptide. However, bone marrow-derived DC, which stimulated T-cell responses to OVA, failed to present bCII, suggesting differences in processing of these two antigens. B-cell depletion from lymph node cells abrogated the proliferative response to bCII and reconstitution of a T-cell population with B cells restored the proliferative response, indicating that B cells are important for stimulating T-cell responses to bCII. B cells play a critical role in CIA by producing pathogenic anti-bCII antibodies, and we propose that B cells are also important APC which present bCII to CD4+ T cells.     

Fibroblastic reticular cell tumor of the spleen: report of a case and review of the entity

Fibroblastic reticulum cells (FBRCs) are stromal support cells located in the parafollicular area and deep cortex of lymph nodes and in the extrafollicular areas of the spleen and tonsils. We report a case of malignant FBRC tumor of the spleen occurring in a 61-year-old woman. Two years after splenectomy, multiple hepatic lesions were found, which were resected. Histologically, the tumor showed similar morphological features in the spleen as in the liver metastases. There was a whorled pattern of oval and spindle cells in a collagenized background admixed with an inflammatory cell infiltrate composed of lymphocytes and plasma cells. The tumor cells were positive for common muscle actin, smooth muscle actin, and focally for CD68. In situ hybridization for Epstein Barr virus was negative. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of malignant FBRC tumor arising in the spleen. The differential diagnosis of splenic tumors with inflammatory pseudotumor-like features is discussed.     

EB病毒对新生儿脐带血单核细胞来源的树突状细胞表型的影响

从脐带血单核细胞来源树突状细胞(DC)表型变化的角度来探讨EB病毒对DC表型的影响,以阐明其逃逸宿主免疫的机制。将GM-CSF和IL-4、EB病毒和LPS不同组合对单核细胞来源DC进行刺激培养,利用单染色和三染色免疫荧光抗体标记—流式细胞术检测单核细胞来源DC表面CD14、CD11c、CD1a、HLA-DR、CD86、MR和MHCⅠ类分子。加入EB病毒后,DC表面CD14分子表达的下调不明显,CD1a的表达则随病毒加入时细胞的分化阶段有关;同时EB病毒还影响了加入LPS后HLA-DR和CD86的升高和MR的降低;EB病毒还影响了细胞表面MHCⅠ类分子的表达。因此EB病毒可抑制单核细胞来源DC的分化和成熟,这可能是其逃逸宿主免疫的机制之一。     

Dendritic cell number is related to IL-4 expression in the airways of atopic asthmatic subjects

BACKGROUND: Airway dendritic cells are essential for stimulating naive T cells in response to inhaled antigen and for the development of allergic sensitization. IL-4 in vitro can distinguish dendritic cell lines from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Our study had the following aims: 1) to compare the distribution of CD1a+ dendritic cells and IL-4+ cells, in the bronchial mucosa of asthmatics and controls 2) to determine the relationship between the numbers of CD1a+ dendritic cells and IL-4+ cells in the bronchial mucosa of asthmatics 3) to determine whether CD1a+ cells express the IL-4 receptor. METHODS: Twenty atopic asthmatic and eight normal subjects were studied. In each subject, bronchoscopy with bronchial biopsies was performed. CD1a, IL-4, and IL-4 receptor expressions were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The number of CD1a+ and IL-4+ cells was significantly higher in asthmatics than controls. The number of CD1a+ cells was positively correlated to the number of IL-4 + cells. Bronchial biopsy serial section studies showed that CD1a+ cells express the receptor for IL-4. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that an increased amount of IL-4 may play a physiopathologic role in maintaining the dendritic cell pool in vivo. Therefore, because of possible IL-4 activity on antigen-presenting cells in T-cell immune responses to allergens, an important new role of IL-4 in asthma inflammation can be envisaged.     

人胃癌肿瘤浸润树突状细胞的形态学观察

目的　探讨人胃癌肿瘤浸润树突状细胞 (TIDC)的形态学特征。方法　应用免疫组织化学、光镜和电镜的方法观察人胃癌TIDC的分布和形态学变化。结果　TIDC主要分布癌周区 ,病变早期TIDC比病变晚期数量 (P <0 0 1)。电镜下 ,TIDC体积较大 ,形态不规则 ,表面有许多树突状突起 ,细胞核不规则 ,可见核仁 ,胞质内有丰富的线粒体、核糖体、高尔基复合体和内质网。TIDC与肿瘤浸润淋巴细胞 (TIL)和肿瘤接触方式和形式上呈多样性 ,一对一 ,一对多 ,或形成簇的接触方式 ,有紧密膜接触、指状膜接触和球状膜接触形式。结论　本实验提示TIDC数量多少与肿瘤的进展有关 ,TIDC与肿瘤浸润淋巴细胞和肿瘤细胞之间关系密切。     

转染自体胃癌细胞总RNA的树突状细胞诱导个体化免疫治疗的体外实验

目的探讨转染自体胃癌细胞总RNA的树突状细胞(DC)体外介导抗胃癌的免疫效应。方法制备短期培养的原代胃癌细胞。用rhGM-CSF、rhIL-4和TNF-α体外诱导胃癌患者外周血单个核细胞(PBMC)中DC的发育和成熟,并转染自体肿瘤细胞总RNA,激活自体T细胞产生CTL,用CCK-8试剂盒检测CTL的杀伤活性。应用流式细胞术及混合淋巴细胞培养技术检测DC的免疫功能状态。用ELISA法测定IL-12和INF-γ的水平。结果转染自体肿瘤细胞总RNA的成熟DC,不仅可高表达MHC-I、II类分子及CD80、CD83和CD86协同刺激分子,并可获得高效刺激自体或异体T细胞增殖的能力。转染RNA的成熟DC,分泌IL-12的水平及其刺激产生的CTL培养上清液中INF-γ的水平显著高于单纯成熟DC及未成熟DC;且CTL对自体胃癌细胞的杀伤率显著高于异体组。结论转染自体胃癌细胞总RNA的成熟DC能够体外诱导产生对自体肿瘤细胞具有高度抗原特异性杀伤活性的CTL。