This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Cherian, S. M. Articles by Lord, R.S.A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cherian, S. M. Articles by Lord, R.S.A. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Dendritic Cells in Venous Pathologies

Yuri Veniaminovich Bobryshev, PhD

Stephanie Jane Inder, MBChB

Reginald Sidney Albert Lord, MD

Kenneth William Scott Ashwell, PhD

R.S.A. Lord, MD

Surgical Professorial Unit Level 17, O'Brien Building St Vincent's Hospital Darlinghurst NSW 2010 Australia

Dendritic cells are potent antigen-presenting cells responsible for the activation of T-lymphocytes in various immune responses. Their role in the initiation of immune reactions in allergies, autoimmune diseases, tumors, transplantation, and, more recently, in atherosclerosis has been well established, but their involvement in venous pathologies has not been previously investigated. The aim of this study was to determine whether dendritic cells are present in veins affected by varicosity and thrombophlebitis. Three groups of veins obtained at operation were studied: (1) varicose veins of the great saphenous vein from patients who were undergoing vein stripping for primary varicosity; (2) segments of the great saphenous vein from patients with varicosity complicated by thrombophlebitis; and (3) great saphenous veins without varicosity or thrombophlebitis from patients who were undergoing femoropopliteal bypass grafting. The specimens were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin, and the sections were stained with antibodies to S-100 (to identify dendritic cells), CD3 (T-lymphocytes), CD68 (macrophages), von Willebrand factor (endothelial cells), alpha-smooth muscle actin (smooth muscle cells), and CD15 (mast cells) by use of avidin-biotin complex (ABC) immunoperoxidase technique. Immunohistochemical examination showed that no S-100 positive dendritic cells were present in normal saphenous veins. In contrast, S-100- positive cells with dendritic cell morphology were detected in the intima and media of veins with varicosity and thrombophlebitis, where they represented a minor cell popula tion. S-100-positive dendritic cells were located between smooth muscle cells as well as around areas of neovascularization where they colocalized with T-lymphocytes. The present work suggests that dendritic cells might be involved in pathological processes in veins affected by varicosity and thrombophlebitis. The authors speculate that dendritic cells may be involved in the inflammatory mechanisms in these veins through their inter action with T-lymphocytes.

Angiology, Vol. 50, No. 5, 393-402 (1999)
DOI: 10.1177/000331979905000505


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?