Wmj. Bosboom et al., Sural nerve T-cell receptor V beta gene utilization in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and vasculitic neuropathy, NEUROLOGY, 56(1), 2001, pp. 74-81
Objective: To investigate the utilization of T-cell receptor (TCR) variable
(V) regions in infiltrates of sural nerve biopsies of patients with chroni
c inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and vasculitic neuropath
y. Background: The presence of infiltrating T lymphocytes in sural nerve bi
opsies may suggest a T cell-mediated immune mechanism in the pathogenesis o
f CIDP and vasculitic neuropathy. Patients and methods: The utilization of
TCR V beta regions in sural nerves of 13 patients with CIDP and five patien
ts with vasculitic neuropathy was determined by immunohistochemistry, rever
se-transcription PCR, and nucleotide sequence analysis. These techniques we
re also applied in four patients with chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropa
thy (CIAP) who acted as noninflammatory controls, and in five autopsy contr
ols. Results: The TCR V beta utilization of infiltrating T cells in sural n
erves of patients with CIDP, vasculitic neuropathy, and noninflammatory con
trols is heterogeneous. A dominant TCR V beta utilization was not found in
any of the patients or controls. Conclusion: There is no evidence for the p
resence of clonally expanded T cells in sural nerves of patients with CIDP
and vasculitic neuropathy.