Granuloma cells in chronic inflammation express CD205 (DEC205) antigen and harbor proliferating T lymphocytes: similarity to antigen-presenting cells.

ABSTRACT: Granulomas are classified as immune or foreign body granulomas. Of these, the immune granulomas, a hallmark of granulomatous inflammation, are closely related to cell-mediated immune responses. The aim of the present study is to characterize immune granuloma cells in 33 patients with granulomatous inflammation focusing on the expression of CD205 (DEC205), a cell surface marker of antigen presenting cells, and their spatial relationship to T cells. CD205 was frequently expressed by immune granuloma cells, in contrast to foreign body granuloma cells that lacked CD205 expression. T cells were not only distributed in a lymphocyte collar around the granuloma, but also present among the granuloma cells (termed 'intra-granuloma T cells'). Intra-granuloma T cells stained positive for Ki-67 (median

SUBMITTER: Ohtani H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3618377 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature