Changes in the concentration and distribution of immunoglobulin-producing cells in SIDS palatine tonsils

• Published in: Pediatric allergy and immunology Vol. 6; no. 1; p. 48
• Main Authors: Stoltenberg, L, Vege, A, Saugstad, O D, Rognum, T O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.02.1995
• Subjects: Antibody-Producing Cells - metabolism; Antibody-Producing Cells - pathology; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - classification; Immunoglobulins - biosynthesis; Infant; Male; Palatine Tonsil - immunology; Palatine Tonsil - pathology; Sudden Infant Death - immunology; Sudden Infant Death - pathology
• ISSN: 0905-6157
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.1995.tb00258.x

Seventeen sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases and 9 controls, were examined immunohistochemically with regard to the presence of IgA-, IgM-, IgD, and IgG, as well as for the subtypes IgG1-, IgG2-, IgG3-, and IgG4-immunocytes. Differences in compartmentalization were also investigated. Differences were demonstrated between SIDS and controls in total number of IgG cells per 0.1 mm2 tissue area (median: 18.3, range: 12.3-30.2 versus median: 6.3, range: 2.0-14.6) (p < 0.01), and for IgA immunocytes (median: 3.9, range: 2.4-5.0 versus median: 1.5, range: 1.1-3.7) (p < 0.05), while no differences were demonstrated for IgM cells (median: 1.8, range: 1.2-3.3 versus median: 1.8, range: 0.7-5.6) or IgD cells (median: 1.9, range: 0.8-2.9 versus median: 1.6, range: 0.7-2.4). Differences were demonstrated between SIDS and control IgG plasma cells in all the four palatine tonsillar compartments; germinal centre (p < 0.01), mantle zone (p < 0.05), interfollicular area (p < 0.01) and reticular epithelium (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the number of IgA cells was higher in SIDS vs. controls in both the germinal centre (median: 1.4, range: 0.6-2.1 versus median: 0.6, range: 0.3-1.3) (p < 0.05) and in the interfollicular area (median: 2.2, range: 1.1-3.1 versus median: 0.5, range: 0.4-2.0) (p < 0.01).