From normal to abnormal MR findings within three weeks in a solitary pelvic Langerhans histiocytosis

We present a histologically proven case of pelvic Langerhans histiocytosis (eosinophilic granuloma) which showed abnormality on MR imaging 3 weeks after a normal MR examination mimicking an infection.     

Relationship between FIGO grade and AgNOR, S100-positive langerhans cells in endometrial adenocarcinoma

Cell kinetic information is an important adjuvant to histological grading in some malignant tumors. In the current study, 20 endometrial adenocarcinomas were graded according to the 1988 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and nuclear grading system and the expression of silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) and S100-positive Langerhans cells were determined. According to the FIGO grade, eight patients were in grade 1, seven were in grade 2 and five were in grade 3. Nuclear grade 1, 2 and 3 was determined in six, eight and six cases, respectively. Although an overlap was seen in some grade 2 and 3 cases, AgNOR counts were the highest in grade 3. S100-positive Langerhans cells were depleted when the grades elevated. It is concluded that AgNOR and Langerhans cells can be correlated with grades. Further studies, including survival data of the patients, could be performed and AgNOR and Langerhans cells can be correlated with prognosis.     

耳颞部朗格汉斯组织细胞增生症(附10例报告)

目的研究耳颞部朗格汉斯组织细胞增生症(LCH)的诊断和治疗。方法回顾分析10例经病理证实的耳颞部LCH病例。10例中男女各5例,年龄1~60岁,平均18.3岁。3例为韩-薛-柯病,7例为嗜酸性肉肿。临床主要表现为耳颞肿胀、颅骨缺损、耳漏、鼓膜穿孔、耳道肉芽、耳鸣、眩晕、耳聋、头痛、尿崩症等。结果8例接受手术加放疗后痊愈,2例接受手术后化疗治愈。遗留尿崩症、侏儒症各1例。结论LCH根据临床表现、影像学及组织病理学特征可做出诊断。手术、放疗和化疗是治疗LCH的有效疗法。尽管LCH病情危重,只要未累及重要生命器官、不误诊、及时合理治疗,一般预后良好,但其后遗尿崩症或侏儒症残疾则顽固难治。     

Ultrastructural Localization of Synaptophysin to the Secretory Granules of Normal Glucagon and Insulin Cells in Human Islets of Langerhans

Immunogold labeling of the pancreatic islets in humans by means of monoclonal antibodies to synaptophysin resulted in a distinct localization of gold particles to the secretory granules of glucagon-immunoreactive cells. The same type of immunoreactivity was noted with antiserum to chromogranin A. Glucagon immunoreactivity was concentrated in the dense central core of the secretory granules. Some immunoreactivity for synaptophysin was also found in the secretory granules of the insulin-producing cells, although it was weaker in this location.     

Mitigation of stress-induced suppression of contact hypersensitivity by odorant inhalation.

BACKGROUND: Various skin functions are affected by stress. We have previously shown that odorant inhalation can regulate skin immune reactions. OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that certain odorants can mitigate the effects of stress on skin immune reactions. METHODS: Contact hypersensitivity (CH) reactions were elicited in C57BL/6 mice. Mice were subjected to immobilization stress and were exposed to odorants for 2 days. Epidermal sheets were stained for I-A antigens and analysed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Serum corticosterone levels were assayed by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Exposure of mice to 1,3-dimethoxy-5-methylbenzene (DMMB) had no effect on the intact CH reaction, but it upregulated the reaction suppressed by immobilization stress. Other odorants, including terpinyl acetate and valerian oil, had minor effects on the CH reaction. Suppression of I-A-positive cells was prevented by DMMB inhalation. Valerian oil, but not DMMB, downregulated stress-induced plasma corticosterone levels. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that odorant inhalation modulates various physiological pathways, some of which result in regulation of skin function.     

Langerhans cells and more: langerin-expressing dendritic cell subsets in the skin

Summary: Langerhans cells (LCs) are antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) that reside in epithelia. The best studied example is the LC of the epidermis. By electron microscopy, their identifying feature is the unique rod- or tennis racket-shaped Birbeck granule. The phenotypic hallmark is their expression of the C-type lectin receptor langerin/CD207. Langerin, however, is also expressed on a recently discovered population of DC in the dermis and other tissues of the body. These ‘dermal langerin⁺ dendritic cells’ are unrelated to LCs. The complex field of langerin-negative dermal DCs is not dealt with here. In this article, we briefly review the history, ontogeny, and homeostasis of LCs. More emphasis is laid on the discussion of functional properties in vivo. Novel models using genetically engineered mice are contributing tremendously to our understanding of the role of LCs in eliciting adaptive immune responses against pathogens or tumors and in inducing and maintaining tolerance against self antigens and innocuous substances in vivo. Also, innate effector functions are increasingly being recognized. Current activities in this area are reviewed, and possibilities for future exploitation of LC in medicine, e.g. for the improvement of vaccines, are contemplated.     

Successful treatment of cutaneous Langerhans cell histiocytosis with low-dose methotrexate

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) can be a difficult therapeutic problem. We present a 40-year-old woman with a 4-year history of LCH who was successfully treated with low-dose methotrexate (20 mg weekly).     

Modulation of Langerhans cell surface antigen expression by recombinant cytokines

This study examined the influence of cytokines on surface antigen expression by gingival Langerhans cells (LC) in organ culture, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) upregulated the expression of CD1a, HLA-DR and HLA-DP antigens on LC. TNF-alpha, interleukin-4 (IL-4), and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) suppressed CD29 expression, while other cytokines, including interleukin-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, were without effect. No cytokines induced CD3, CD4, CD23, CD25 or CD45 RA antigen expression in organ culture. Since TNF-alpha and IL-6 can be secreted by keratinocytes, these molecules, together with interleukin-1, are likely to play a role in the local control of LC number and function within the epithelial milleu. Thus, alterations in cytokine secretion by keratinocytes may at least in part be responsible for variations in LC number and antigen expression which occur in oral mucosal disorders.     

The inhibitory effect of PUVA on the immunity of experimental dermatophytosis in guinea pigs

Summary The effect of topical PUVA on the disease course and immunity of T. mentagrophytes dermatophytosis was investigated in guinea pigs. Animals which had been inoculated on nontreated skin showed mild erythematous lesions with scaling in a few days and then developed the most intense reaction between days 10 and 14. The lesions resolved completely by the third week. On the other hand, animals which had been inoculated on the PUVA-treated sites showed only mild squamous, erythematous lesions until the fourth postinfective week, when the intense reaction began to appear. Complete regression was observed by the fifth week in these animals. Trichophytin tests performed on the 14th day were positive in the guinea pigs of nontreated group, while negative in the PUVA-treated animals. The latter group revealed a positive reaction on the fifth week. PUVA did not show inhibitory effect on the sensitization by intracutaneous injection of trichophytin antigen. The PUVA treatment depleted the ATPase-positive Langerhans' cells. These results indicate that PUVA treatment suppresses the immunity of dermatophytosis and delays the spontaneous resolution of the lesions, and suggest that the Langerhans' cell is involved in the development of cell-mediated immunity in experimental dermatophytosis.     

Induction by tumour necrosis factor α of dose-related changes in Langerhans cell frequency in mice

Abstract It has been demonstrated previously that tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) provides an important signal for the migration of epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) from the skin. Intradermal administration to mice of homologous recombinant TNF-α induces both a rapid reduction in the frequency of LC local to the site of exposure and, somewhat later, an accumulation of dendritic cells in draining lymph nodes. It has been proposed recently, however, that the influence of TNF-α on LC function may be dose-dependent in nature with lower concentrations inducing migration, but higher concentrations immobilizing LC in the epidermis. To investigate this proposal we examined the kinetics and dose-response relationships of TNF-α-induced LC migration in mice. At all concentrations tested (50, 150 or 300 ng/ear), intradermal exposure to TNF-α caused within 30 min a significant reduction in the frequency of MHC class II (Ia)⁺ LC within epidermal sheets. With the lower concentrations of TNF-α this effect was still apparent when LC were enumerated in the epidermis up to 4 h following cytokine treatment. In contrast, however, exposure of mice to 300 ng of TNF-α was consistently associated with a considerably less marked, and statistically insignificant, reduction in LC frequency by 4 h. These data indicate that at all concentrations of the cytokine examined here, TNF-α was able to stimulate a rapid (within 30 min) reduction in epidermal LC numbers, but that the rapidity with which the epidermis was repopulated following the initiation of LC migration was influenced by the concentration of TNF-α administered. It is suggested that TNF-α may influence not only the tempo of LC migration, but also the kinetics of epidermal repopulation. Received: 18 June 1998 / Received after revision: 25 February 1999 / Accepted: 19 March 1999