Y. Igarashi et al., QUANTIFICATION OF RESIDENT INFLAMMATORY CELLS IN THE HUMAN NASAL-MUCOSA, Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, 91(5), 1993, pp. 1082-1093
Background: To define the normal resident inflammatory cell population
in the nasal mucosa, surgical specimens of human nasal turbinates wer
e immunohistologically stained for various cell markers. Methods: Free
ze-dried paraffin-embedded sections were stained for lymphocyte cell-s
urface markers, and Carnoy's fixed sections were stained for mast cell
s and immunoglobulins. The numbers of stained cells were microscopical
ly counted.Results: T cells (CD3+ cells) were abundant in the lamina p
ropria, and the number of CD4+ cells and CD8+ cells accounted for two
thirds and one third of CD3+ cell number, respectively. Cells that sta
ined for the alpha-chain of the interleukin-2 receptor (activated cell
s, CD25+) were limited and accounted for only 0.6% of CD3+ cell number
. B cells (CD22+ cells) and monocytes and macrophages (CD14+ cells) we
re observed less frequently than T cells. Many immunoglobulin-producin
g cells were found in close proximity to the submucosal glands, and th
ose cells were predominantly IgA+. Mast cells were widely distributed
in the nasal mucosa, and about one third of these cells were stained f
or IgE molecules. Nonmast cells bearing IgE were rarely observed Concl
usion: Thus the dominant cell in the nasal mucosa is a CD3+, CD4+, CD2
5-lymphocyte.