IGE IMMUNOPATHOLOGIC FINDINGS IN HODGKINS-DISEASE

Serum IgE is the only immunoglobulin appreciably elevated in Hodgkin's disease. An immunofluorescent staining technique was applied to depar affinized, trypsinized formalin-fixed tissue sections to detect mast c ell membrane IgE deposits in Hodgkin's disease. Tandem sections were s tained with toluidine blue. Positive IgE-stained mast cell membranes w ere seen in 64% of Hodgkin's disease patients. Brightly fluorescent st ained germinal follicles were identified in 52% of Hodgkin's disease p atients. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas with few exceptions did not appreciab ly display mast cell membrane or germinal follicle fluorescence. Immun ohistopathologic studies reported here provide morphologic corroborati on with the elevated IgE levels in serum reported previously. These fi ndings bear relevance for some histopathologic features characteristic of Hodgkin's disease: IgE-activated mast cells are believed to influe nce fibrosis by release of (a) granule-mediators and (b) recruitment o f eosinophilic leucocytes through the mast cell-leucocyte cytokine cas cade.