This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 200308-1167OCv1 169/6/712    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Elliot, J. G. Articles by James, A. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Elliot, J. G. Articles by James, A. L.

Aggregations of Lymphoid Cells in the Airways of Nonsmokers, Smokers, and Subjects with Asthma

Faculty of Regional Professional Studies, Edith Cowan University, Bunbury; West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital; and School of Pharmacology and Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia

Correspondence and requests for reprints should be addressed to Alan L. James, West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia. E-mail: ajames{at}it.net.au

Persistent airway inflammation is present in cases with asthma and in smokers with airflow obstruction. Isolated aggregations of lymphoid cells (IALC) may be sites of localized inflammatory cell activation. Their distribution and characteristics in cartilaginous airways were assessed in postmortem tissue from nonsmokers (n = 10), smokers (n = 9), and cases of nonfatal (n = 10) and fatal asthma (n = 10). IALC were present in 70–100% of cases, were more often in proximal than distal airways, and 80% were confined to the outer airway wall. IALC with area greater than 0.1 mm² were more frequent in both asthma groups (p < 0.001). Airways with IALC had increased airway dimensions and greater numbers of eosinophils and lymphomononuclear cells. Within IALC, T and B lymphocytes were segregated and comprised more than 90% of all cells. Proliferating, apoptotic, and antigen-presenting cells (Rel B⁺ and HLA-DR⁺) were less than 5%, 30–40%, and less than 1% of all cells, respectively, and were similar in each case group. Vascular structures were increased (p < 0.01) in cases of fatal asthma. These findings show that, even in nonsmoking cases and cases without asthma, IALC are common, show cellular organization, and are associated with airway wall inflammation and remodeling. It remains to be determined if IALC contribute to or result from persistent airway inflammation in asthma.

Key Words: airway inflammation • remodeling • asthma

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. G. Brusselle, T. Demoor, K. R. Bracke, C-A. Brandsma, and W. Timens Lymphoid follicles in (very) severe COPD: beneficial or harmful? Eur. Respir. J., July 1, 2009; 34(1): 219 - 230. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Carroll, N. G. Carroll, and A. L. James Do bronchial biopsies represent mast cell density in airways? A stereological study Eur. Respir. J., September 1, 2006; 28(3): 612 - 621. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				U. B.S. Prakash Uncommon Causes of Cough: ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines Chest, January 1, 2006; 129(1_suppl): 206S - 219S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. von Garnier, L. Filgueira, M. Wikstrom, M. Smith, J. A. Thomas, D. H. Strickland, P. G. Holt, and P. A. Stumbles Anatomical Location Determines the Distribution and Function of Dendritic Cells and Other APCs in the Respiratory Tract J. Immunol., August 1, 2005; 175(3): 1609 - 1618. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Fabbri, S. P. Peters, I. Pavord, S. E. Wenzel, S. C. Lazarus, W. MacNee, F. Lemaire, and E. Abraham Allergic Rhinitis, Asthma, Airway Biology, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in AJRCCM in 2004 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., April 1, 2005; 171(7): 686 - 698. [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Gensch, M. Gallup, A. Sucher, D. Li, A. Gebremichael, H. Lemjabbar, A. Mengistab, V. Dasari, J. Hotchkiss, J. Harkema, et al. Tobacco Smoke Control of Mucin Production in Lung Cells Requires Oxygen Radicals AP-1 and JNK J. Biol. Chem., September 10, 2004; 279(37): 39085 - 39093. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]