Granzyme-B-containing lymphocyte involvement in epidermal injury in graft-versus-host disease

Background: Skin lesions from graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) show histolo gical features of epidermal cell death with lymphocyte infiltration, Perfor in and granzyme B are involved in the process of apoptosis induced by cytot oxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Objective: To elucidate the role of CTL in the me chanism of epidermal injury in GVHD, Methods: We studied immunohistochemica l staining far granzyme B and perforin in the skin lesions of 8 patients wh o developed GVHD after bone marrow transplantation. Results: Granzyme-B-pos itive lymphocytes were CD8 positive and were observed in the epidermis of 3 out of 6 specimens in acute GVHD, and of 5 specimens of chronic GVHD excep t for 1 sclerotic type in which it was negative, Perforin-positive lymphocy tes were observed in the epidermis of the specimens from 1 acute and 1 chro nic GVHD, Conclusions: Granzyme B derived from CTL may be involved in the m echanisms of epidermal injury in GVHD. Copyright (C) 2001 S.Kaiger AG, Base l.