Abstract
Lymphocyte subpopulations, plasma cells and the expression of HLA-DR antigen in the rectal and colonic mucosae of 8 children with ulcerative colitis and 12 control subjects were studied using a panel of monoclonal and polyclonal antisera and the peroxidase technique. The numbers of lymphocytes in the surface epithelium were similar in patients and controls. The majority of these cells were mature T cells; among them suppressor-cytotoxic cells predominated. In the crypt epithelium the helper/suppressor ratio (H/S) was significantly greater in the patients than in the controls, mean was 0.37 vs 0.07, p<0.05. In the lamina propria of specimens frcm both patients and controls the majority of T cells were of helper type and the H/S ratios were similar. The density of IgG-contaioing cells was greater in patients than in controls, 1058 cells/mm2 vs 359, p<0.01, and the most comnon isotype in the plasma cells of patients was IgG. The mean number of IgE-positive cells was also greater in the patients (230 vs 95, p<0.01). Anti-HLA-DR serum stained neither surface nor crypt epithelial cells of controls. The surface epithelial cells of 5 and the crypt epithelium of 6 patients showed HLA-DR expression. The aberrant HLA-DR expression and the imbalance of T and B cells in patients with ulcerative colitis suggest that immune mechanisms are important in this disease.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Savilahti, E., Arató, A., Tainio, VM. et al. 31. LYMPHOCYTES, LYMPHOCYTE SUBGROUPS, IMMUNOGLOBUL INCONTAINING CELLS AND HLA-DR EXPRESSION IN THE RECTAL MUCOSA OF CHILDREN WITH ULCERATIVE COLITIS. Pediatr Res 22, 101 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198707000-00052
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198707000-00052