Adherence of RFD-1 positive dendritic cells to the basal surface of thyroid follicular cells in Graves' disease.

• HLA-DR positive cells infiltrating Graves' thyroid tissue were examined for their expression of cell-specific immunological markers using light and electron microscopic immunostaining of frozen sections and isolated open thyroid follicles. Graves' glands (n = 21) were enriched of CD68 and Leu-M5/CD11c positive monocytes/macrophages as well as CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes. These cell types were distributed juxta-follicular as well as in other tissue areas. Only the RFD-1 antibody, considered to label antigen-presenting cells including dendritic cells, identified cells invariably located close to the interstitial follicular surface. After follicle isolation, RFD-1 cells were enriched compared to Leu-M5 cells and exclusively adherent to the follicular epithelium. The plasma membrane of RFD-1 positive cells were in intimate contact with the basolateral membrane of the thyrocytes, sometimes extending deeply into the intercellular space of the epithelium. Parallel labelling experiments suggested that the follicle-adhering RFD-1 cells also expressed HLA-DR. Our findings show that in human thyroid glands with Graves' disease RFD-1 positive cells with a dendritic morphology establish direct contact with the follicular epithelium. In view of the fact that both HLA-DR and RFD-1 are associated with antigen-presenting functions it is suggested that a direct interaction of dendritic cells with thyrocytes might be an important component of the autoimmune reaction in Graves' disease.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Cell- och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Cell and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Antibodies

Monoclonal

immunology

Antigen-Presenting Cells

immunology

pathology

Autoimmune Diseases

immunology

pathology

Biomarkers

Cell Adhesion

Cell Differentiation

Cell Polarity

Dendritic Cells

pathology

Epithelium

immunology

pathology

Graves Disease

immunology

pathology

HLA-DR Antigens

analysis

Humans

Lymphocyte Subsets

immunology

pathology

Macrophages

immunology

pathology

Thyroid Gland

immunology

pathology

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)