Increased immunoglobulin G4-positive plasma cells in collagenous sprue.

Abstract

Collagenous sprue is a rare enteropathy whose etiology is unknown, but immune-mediated mechanisms are one of several possibilities. However, the role of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-positive plasma cells has not been studied in collagenous sprue. Endoscopic biopsies from the duodenum with a histologic diagnosis of collagenous sprue (n = 40 from 35 patients), celiac disease (n = 25), peptic duodenitis (n = 15) and normal duodenum (n = 25) were immunohistochemically stained with IgG4 and CD138 antibodies. For each case, the quantities of IgG4- and CD138-positive plasma cells in the lamina propria were estimated by averaging the number in 3 high-power fields (hpf) that showed the highest concentration. Nine of forty collagenous sprue samples showed a mean of 10 or more IgG4 plasma cells per hpf, whereas none of the duodenal control biopsies showed 10 or more IgG4 plasma cells per hpf: celiac disease (P = .01), peptic duodenitis (P = .05), and normal duodenum (P = .01). Our study demonstrates that increased IgG4-positive plasma cells are present in a subset (23%) of collagenous sprue and may play a role in its pathogenesis.

• Authors: J Kenneth Schoolmeester, Sarah M Jenkins, Joseph A Murray, Tsung-Teh Wu, Vishal S Chandan
• Journal: Human pathology (Hum Pathol) Vol. 44 Issue 8 Pg. 1624-9 (Aug 2013) ISSN: 1532-8392 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23566409 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Immunoglobulin G

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Colitis, Collagenous (immunology, pathology)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G (immunology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Plasma Cells (immunology, pathology)
• Young Adult