S - 100 Protein Positive Dendritic Cells in the Skin Lesions with Tubrculoid Structure

Kim, Ki Ho; Cho, Kwang Hyun; Kim, Chul Woo

Abstract

We investigated the distribution of S-100 protein positive dendritic cells in the skin lesions with tuberculoid sturcture. For this study, we selected the paraffin blocks of biopsied specimens with the characteristic histopathology of lupus vulgaris (5cases), tubereulosis verrucosa cutis (1 case), lupus milaris disseminatus faciei (4 cases), and erythema induratum (7 cases). The cells were identified by immunohistochemical demonstration in paraffin sections. The results were as follows: 1. S-100 protein positive dendritic cells were regularly visualized in all lesions examined. 2. S-100 protein positive dendritic cells appeared usually between the lymphohistiocytic infiltrates around the tuberculoid granulomas in contrast to the cells of monocyte-macrophage system which were within the granulomas. And they appeared occasionally (e.g. in a case of lupus vulgaris) between epitheloid cells in the granulomas. 3. S-100 protein positive dendritic cells were more numerous in the granulomatous lesions which showed the well-formed tuberculoid sturcture. From these results, we suggested the S-100 protein positive dendritic cells act as accessory cells in the pathogenesis of the granulomatous lesions by the delayed type hypersensitivity.