Distribution of Ectopic Germinal Centers in Thymic Epithelial Tumors and Their Relationship With Thymic Involution.

ABSTRACT: Ectopic germinal centers (GCs) are often formed in the thymus of patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody (anti-AChR Ab)-positive thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) and are considered sites where B cells undergo affinity maturation to produce high-affinity anti-AChR Abs, contributing to the development of myasthenia gravis. To evaluate the clinical relevance of these ectopic GCs, we analyzed their distribution and associations with thymic involution and anti-AChR Ab titers using paraffin-embedded surgical specimens from 79 TET patients. Thymic involution was scored, and immunohistochemistry was performed to identify cells involved in GC formation. GCs were identified in 32 of the 79 cases. The anti-AChR Ab+ group had significantly higher frequencies of GCs in the residual thymus com

SUBMITTER: Furuya T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12580872 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature