Lymph nodes, one of peripheral lymphoid organs, are the sites, where the lymphocytes receive their initial instructions for producing effector functioning resulting in humoral or cell-mediated immunity. Each lymph node consists of an outer cortex in which there are aggregates of cells constituting the follicles, B-cell areas. Some follicles have central areas called germinal centers, which stain lightly. Germinal centers are B lymphoblast cell areas arising eccentrically in primary lymphoid follicles in response to T-cell dependent antigenic stimulation and are the generally accepted sites of generation of memory B cells and undergoing isotype switching and somatic mutation. We observed the morphologic, cellular, protein and molecular events arising in mouse popliteal lymph nodes in response to T-cell dependent antigenic stimulation. In this study mice were immunized into footpads with TNP-chicken ovalbumin. The germinal center formation in primary follicles of popliteal lymph nodes was first observed 6 days after immunization and germinal centers persisted until 24 days of immunization. Lymph node cells were stained with PE-labeled anti-B220 antibody and/or FITC labeled PNA and analyzed by using FACScan. B cells (B220(+) cell) in lymph node increased after 3 days and peaked between 6 and 18 days after immunization. The proportion of germinal center B cells (B220, PNA(high) cells) among lymph node B cells was low (2%) before immunization but increased at day 6 (9%) and reached the peak (30%) at day 18. The expression of IgG1 productive mRNAs and germline transcripts were observed by using RT-PCR. The expression of IgG1 productive mRNA was detected at day 10 and continued until 24 days after immunization. The expression of IgG1 germline transcripts was observed 10 days after immunization and rapidly declined over the next one week. IgG1 anti-TNP antibody, main isotype of anti-TNP antibodies, was first detected at day 14 and reached the peak level 24 days after immunization. Taken these data together, we can conclude that the first immunological event observed from mouse popliteal lymph node in response to T-cell dependent antigenic stimulation is the increase in the number of B cells, and this event is followed by appearance of germinal center B cells and at the same time by the formation of germinal center in primary lymphoid follicles. Once the germinal center is formed, the process of isotype switching to IgG1 occurs in lymph node and antigen-specific IgG1 antibody is produced.
Animals ; Antibodies ; B-Lymphocytes ; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate ; Germinal Center ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunization ; Immunoglobulin Class Switching ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulins* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Lymphocytes ; Memory ; Mice ; Ovalbumin ; RNA, Messenger ; T-Lymphocytes

No abstract available.
Animals ; B-Lymphocytes* ; Mice* ; Mitogens* ; Spleen*

The experiment was performed to investigate changes of maternal immune status during the pregnancy. We observed the distribution of several immune cells [macrophage, activated B-cell, IgM+ B-cell, Lyt-2+ T-cell and L3T4+ T-cells] in the utero-placental interface and the peripheral blood of Balb/c mice. The experimental animals were divided into seven groups by the gestational ages ; virgin, 2nd, 5th, 8th, 10th, 14th and 19th day of pregnancy. In the utero-placental interface, the distribution patterns of the lymphocytes [both T and B] and macrophages were observed. Histochemical staining by naphthol-AS-MX phosphate sodium salt was used for the detection of activated B-cells. For the detection of macrophage, plasma cell, suppressor cell and helper cell, all the prepared samples reacted with Rat anti-mouse Mac-1, goat anti-mouse IgM, rat anti-Lyt2 and rat anti-L3T4 antibody first, and washed. Second reaction was done with biotinylated anti-rat or anti-mouse IgG anti-bodies, and washed. Avidin-biotin -peroxidase complex and 3, 3`-diamino-benzidine[DAB] were used for the visualization of specific cells. T-cells and B-cells were not observed during the all stages of pregnancy. By contrast, macrophages were observed a few at the perimetrium on the second day of gestation, and they were found at the outermost portion of the trophoblastic layer on the 8th day, and they were observed at the decidua basalis in late pregnancy after the 10th day when the placenta were well developed. In the peripheral blood, activated B-cells were not observed throughout the pregnancy. On the 8th day, the proportion of plasma cells to total mononuclear cells was decreased significantly to 16+/-2.4% compared with the virgin group[22+/-2.6%][p<0.01]. It increased again and it reached 42+/-5.8% on the 14th day and 37+/-4.9% on the 19th day. Helper T-cells were decreased on the 14th day[30+/-2.4%] compared with the normal control[47+/-5.1%]. But, Suppressor T-cells were increased on the 8th day[35+/-2.9%] and the 10th day[33+/-3.6%] compared with the normal controls[27+/-2.3%]. This decrement returned to the level of the normal controls on the 14th day and 19th day. Together with our previous data, we could find the synchronized changes of immune cells in utero-placental interface, uterus draining lymph nodes, peripheral blood and spleen. Therefore, we suggest that macrophages in utero-placental interface may play an important role for the immune responses against the fetal transplantation antigen.
Animals ; B-Lymphocytes* ; Decidua ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Goats ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphocytes ; Macrophages* ; Mice* ; Placenta ; Plasma Cells ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Sodium ; Spleen ; T-Lymphocytes ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; Trophoblasts ; Uterus

We herein report a case of Spitz nevus which occurred in a 6-year-old girl with acute lymphocytic leukemia. The lesion was a well delimited, symmetric, 1.0 * 1.0cm sized, dome-shaped light pinkish nodule with a shiny surface on her forehead. The histopathological findings of the excisional biopsy specimen revealed mild epidermal hyperplasia ; numerous uniform nests of spindle cells and epitheloid cells with sparce pigmentation along the dermoepidermal junction; colloid body-like eosinophilic globules ; multinucleated giant nevus cells in the epidermis and edema in the upper dermis. Since the complete excision of her lesion was accomplished, there have been no new lesions over the past year.
Biopsy ; Child ; Colloids ; Dermis ; Edema ; Eosinophils ; Epidermis ; Female ; Forehead ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Nevus ; Nevus, Epithelioid and Spindle Cell* ; Pigmentation ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma*

BACKGROUND: Although there are varied etiological factors in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, recent data where viral hepatitis is more frequently found in psoriasis patients than in the normal population, suggests the possibility that some kinds of viral antigens may participate as causative factors of psoriasis. Hepatitis C virus(HCV) in particular, which has been proven to be associated with many dermatoses such as porphyria cutanea tarda, lichen planus and vasculitis, is currently suspected as a possible pathogen in psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of viral hepatitis infection among psoriasis patients in Korea where it is known to be endemic. Additionally, we analysed the relationship between the clinical severity of psoriasis and viral hepatitis according to the serotypes. METHODS: In this study, we looked for the presence of HCV, HBV, HAV, HDV and HEV infection in 65 enrolled psoriasis patients and 98 non-psoriatic patients by enzyme immunoasay, recombinant immunoblotting, radioimmunoassay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions. RESULTS: 1. We found a higher prevalence of viral hepatitis in the psoriasis group(70.8%) than the control group(45.9%). 2. 10.7% of patients were shown to be infected with HCV in the psoriasis group, in comparison with 2% in the control group. Also 52.7% of psoriatic patients were positive to HBV markers as HBcAb and HBsAg in comparison with 38.8% in the control group. 3. There was a statistically significant correlative relationship between the clinical severity of psoriasis and the presence of viral hepatitis. 4. We could establish a significant association among higher titers of ALT, positivity of HBcAb and HBsAg, and HCV hepatitis in psoriatic patients. CONCLUSION: Psoriatic patients had a higher prevalence of viral hepatitis than normal controls. Also psoriatic patients with viral hepatitis showed relatively different clinical features and labaratory results in comparison with those without it.
Antigens, Viral ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis C ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Korea ; Lichen Planus ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Porphyria Cutanea Tarda ; Prevalence ; Psoriasis* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Reverse Transcription ; Skin Diseases ; Vasculitis

Pemphgus vulgaris (PV), Bullus pemphigoid (BP), and Epidermolysis bullous acqusita (EBA) are autoimmune bullous dermatoses, characterized by circulating IgG autoantibodies. These antibodies react with antigens located at the intercellular substance (ICS) of epidermis, basement membrane zone (BMZ), and subepidermal anchoring fibril zone (AFZ), respectively. The subclass distribution of IgG autoantibodies, and the properties and degrees of complement fixing activities of these autoantibodies in each of the above diseases have not been well understood. Indirect immunofluorescence and in vitro complement stainings were performed for the titration of subclasses of IgG antibodies and for the immunofluorescence staining reactivities of complement components C3, C4, C5b-9, H, C4bp, and S. Each serum specimen from five cases of PV, five cases of BP. and three cases of EBA was tested. The findings of multistep technique with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies are as follows : All four subclasses of IgG antibodies were identified at the antigenic sites in these group, however there were some differences in the antibodies titers. In PV and BP the dominant subclass of highest antibody titer was IgG1 and/or IgG4. In EBA only IgG4 was dominant in all three cases. The results of complement component stainings, in most of the cases of PV, showed positive for C3 and C4 but were negative for the other components or inhibitor proteins at the ICS of epidermis. In BP most of the cases revealed positive staining reactivities at the BMZ for C3, C4, C5b-9, H, and C4bp-9 with no staining reactivities for the inhibitor proteins No significant relevancy was found between the titers of complement fixing IgG subclasses and the numbers of positive complement staining reactivities for complement components. The results suggest that the complement system may contribute more strongly to the formation of bullous lesions in BP and EBA than in PV.
Antibodies ; Autoantibodies ; Basement Membrane ; Blister ; Complement Membrane Attack Complex ; Complement System Proteins ; Epidermis ; Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita* ; Epidermolysis Bullosa* ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Immunoglobulin G ; Pemphigoid, Bullous* ; Pemphigus* ; Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous

Herein we report a case of subungual osteochondroma in a male patient. Although there have been several reports about cases of subungual exostosis in Korea, a case of subungual osteochondroma had not been reported until now. Osteochcndromas are clearly different disease entities from exastosis in that they have diagnostic hyaline cartilaginous caps instead of the fibrocartilages in subungual exostosis. Additioaally, subungual osteochondroma is a very rare type having an incidence rate of less than 1% among all osteochondromas. Our patient was an 18-year-old male with a solitary woody mass on his right great toe that was painfuL A surgical excisional biopsy following a nail plate avulsion showed the characteristic hyaline cattilaginous caps enclosing bony trabecula connected with the inferior cortical bone.
Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Exostoses ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Osteochondroma* ; Toes

We herein present a rare case of a 42-year-old man with primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma(MZL) of the B-cell type on his shin. MZL is known to be the cutaneous counterpart of MALT(mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue) lymphoma. Histopathologically, MZL is characterized by multi-nodular infiltrates of centrocyte-like and centroblast-like marginal cells with bottom-heavy patterns, lymphoplasmacytoid differentiation, typical distribution of tumor cells in the marginal zone and follicular colonization by tumor cells. This B-cell lymphoma of a benign grade should be differentiated from mantle cell lymphoma and follicular center cell lymphoma.
Adult ; B-Lymphocytes ; Colon ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell

In order to investigate the role of H2-M molecule on class II molecule other than H2-Ab we made H2-M deficient H2-E transgenic mice and to see the peptide diversity on H2-E molecule in these mice, we contructed AND --> H2-M deficient H2-E transgenic bone marrow chimeras. The results were as followings. 1. The phenotype of thymus of H2-M deficient H2-E transgenic mice showed similar CD4 and CD8 single positive thymocyte amount as normal wild type B6 mice with CD4/CD8 ratio around 2. The percentage of double positive cells were about 85%. 2. In the periphery, H2-M deficient H2-E transgenic mice also showed similar amount of CD4 and CD8 cells as normal wild type B6 mice. The CD4/CD8 ratio was 1.5~2. 3. The development of transgenic CD4 cells from AND --> H2-M+/- H2-E transgenic bone marrow chimera was similar to wild type AND transgenic mice. 4. The development of transgenic CD4 cells from AND --> H2-M deficient H2-E transgenic bone marrow chimera was reduced compared to wild type AND transgenic mice or AND --> H2-M+/- H2-E transgenic bone marrow chimeras. But the amount of CD4 cells developed in these chimeras were significant and H2-E molecule could bind some self peptides in the absence of H2-M molecules and support the CD4 cell development in these chimeras.
Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Chimera ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Peptides ; Phenotype ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Thymocytes ; Thymus Gland

No abstract available.
Animals ; Mice* ; Spleen*