Search

Objectives: Infiltration of many IgG4-positive plasma cells (G4-Ps) is seen in IgG4-related diseases and in several "non-IgG4-related diseases," such as pilonidal sinus (PS) as well. The involvement of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (CD4CD25 Tregs) in IgG4-related diseases has been reported. To see whether CD4+CD25+ Tregs are involved in autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP)/non-IgG4-related diseases with many G4-Ps, we investigated the amount of G4-Ps and CD4+CD25+ Tregs histologically in AIP/PS., Methods: Four AIP and 10 PS were immunostained with IgG4/Foxp3, a specific marker for CD4+CD25+ Tregs. Double immunohistochemistry and dual fluorescent immunohistochemistry were conducted to see the amount of CD4+CD25+ Tregs., Results: All AIP and 30% of PS showed abundant G4-Ps. G4-Ps infiltrated diffusely for all AIPs and in a patchy pattern for PS at the abscess/granulation foci. Foxp3 immunostaining/double immunohistochemistry showed moderate to abundant CD4+CD25+ Tregs in AIP and abscess of PS, but few to moderate in granulation of PS. Dual fluorescent immunohistochemistry also showed many CD4+CD25+ Tregs in AIP., Conclusions: Many CD4+CD25+ Tregs were seen in AIP lesions, abscess of PS, but not in granulation of PS, suggesting that the amount of CD4+CD25+ Tregs sometimes do not synchronize with that of G4-Ps and might relate to the inflammatory activity of both AIP and PS.

Objectives: Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is a dominant mediator of pancreatic fibrosis. The objective of this study was to identify cellular sources of TGF-beta mRNA and compare the results with previous immunohistochemical/in situ hybridization studies., Methods: In situ hybridization of TGF-beta was conducted for 9 human tissues of chronic obstructive pancreatitis (COP) and 2 control specimens. By classifying these 9 COP tissues into 3 fibrosis phases by the amount of fibrotic space, histopathologic changes were examined for each fibrosis phase. Whether or not TGF-beta-positive cells were closely distributed to fibrosis was also investigated in control and COP cases., Results: Three cases were categorized in early, intermediate, and advanced stages of fibrosis. Transforming growth factor beta mRNA was identified for a part of small duct epithelia, that is, intercalated ductule cells, centroacinar cells, and/or metaplastic ductal structures adjacent to acinar cells. The number of TGF-beta-positive cells was greater in COP cases than in controls. In controls and in the early stage of fibrosis, no fibrosis was seen near TGF-beta-positive cells., Conclusions: Small duct epithelia are the main cellular sources of TGF-beta in COP, and many of them may be working for COP fibrosis either directly or indirectly.