Skip to main content
Clinical and Experimental Immunology logoLink to Clinical and Experimental Immunology
. 1978 Apr;32(1):169–178.

Enzyme differentiation of lymphocyte subpopulations in sections of human lymph nodes, tonsils and periodontal disease.

G J Seymour, H M Dockrell, J S Greenspan
PMCID: PMC1541303  PMID: 307463

Abstract

Five enzymes have been studied to differentiate between T and B lymphocytes in sections of human lymph nodes, tonsils and chronic inflammatory periodontal disease. The presence of acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, non-specific esterase and fluoride-resistant esterase activity was determined histochemically. The results indicate that cells in the B area of both lymph nodes and tonsils are negative for enzyme activity, while those in the T area show a single intense granule of activity. These enzymes were unable to differentiate between T blasts, B blasts and plasma cells in the sections studied. The majority of the lymphoid cells in the lesions of chronic inflammatory periodontal disease are enzyme-negative and probably of B-cell origin.

Full text

PDF
170

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ALLISON A. C., MALLUCCI L. LYSOSOMES IN DIVIDING CELLS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO LYMPHOCYTES. Lancet. 1964 Dec 26;2(7374):1371–1373. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(64)91162-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Barr R. D., Perry S. Lysosomal acid hydrolases in human lymphocyte subpopulations. Br J Haematol. 1976 Apr;32(4):565–572. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1976.tb00960.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Brown G., Greaves M. F. Cell surface markers for human T and B lymphocytes. Eur J Immunol. 1974 Apr;4(4):302–310. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830040414. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Claudy A. L., Schmitt D., Viac J., Alario A., Staquet M. J., Thivolet J. Morphological, immunological and immunocytochemical identification of lymphocytes extracted from cutaneous infiltrates. Clin Exp Immunol. 1976 Jan;23(1):61–68. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Curran R. C., Jones E. L. Immunoglobulin-containing cells in human tonsils as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. Clin Exp Immunol. 1977 Apr;28(1):103–115. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. DAVIS B. J. Histochemical demonstration of erythrocyte esterases. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1959 May;101(1):90–93. doi: 10.3181/00379727-101-24842. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dukor P., Bianco C., Nussenzweig V. Tissue localization of lymphocytes bearing a membrane receptor for antigen-antibody-complement complexes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1970 Oct;67(2):991–997. doi: 10.1073/pnas.67.2.991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Graham R. C., Jr, Karnovsky M. J. The early stages of absorption of injected horseradish peroxidase in the proximal tubules of mouse kidney: ultrastructural cytochemistry by a new technique. J Histochem Cytochem. 1966 Apr;14(4):291–302. doi: 10.1177/14.4.291. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Greenspan J. S., Gutman G. A., Talal N., Weissman I. L., Sugai S. Thymus-antigen- and immunoglobulin- positive cells in lymph-nodes, thymus, and malignant lymphomas of NZB/NZW mice. Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1974 Sep;3(1):32–51. doi: 10.1016/0090-1229(74)90021-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Greenspan J. S., Gutman G. A., Weissman I. L., Talal N. Thymus-antigen- and immunoglobulin-positive lymphocytes in tissue infiltrates of NZB/NZW mice. Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1974 Sep;3(1):16–31. doi: 10.1016/0090-1229(74)90020-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Gutman G. A., Weissman I. L. Lymphoid tissue architecture. Experimental analysis of the origin and distribution of T-cells and B-cells. Immunology. 1972 Oct;23(4):465–479. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. HAYASHI M. HISTOCHEMICAL DEMONSTRATION OF N-ACETYL-BETA-GLUCOSAMINIDASE EMPLOYING NAPHTHOL AS-BI N-ACETYL-BETA -GLUCOSAMINIDE AS SUBSTRATE. J Histochem Cytochem. 1965 May-Jun;13:355–360. doi: 10.1177/13.5.355. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. HAYASHI M., NAKAJIMA Y., FISHMAN W. H. THE CYTOLOGIC DEMONSTRATION OF BETA-GLUCURONIDASE EMPLOYING NAPHTHOL AS-BI GLUCURONIDE AND HEXAZONIUM PARAROSANILIN; A PRELIMINARY REPORT. J Histochem Cytochem. 1964 Apr;12:293–297. doi: 10.1177/12.4.293. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. HIRSCHHORN R., KAPLAN J. M., GOLDBERG A. F., HIRSCHHORN K., WEISSMANN G. ACID PHOSPHATASE-RICH GRANULES IN HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES INDUCED BY PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININ. Science. 1965 Jan 1;147(3653):55–57. doi: 10.1126/science.147.3653.55. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kulenkampff J., Janossy G., Greaves M. F. Acid esterase in human lymphoid cells and leukaemic blasts: a marker for T lymphocytes. Br J Haematol. 1977 Jun;36(2):231–240. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1977.tb00644.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. König E., Brittinger G., Cohnen G. Relation of lysosomal fragility in CLL lymphocytes to PHA reactivity. Nat New Biol. 1973 Aug 22;244(138):247–248. doi: 10.1038/newbio244247a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Lennert K., Kaiserling E., Müller-Hermelink H. K. Letter: T-associated plasma-cells. Lancet. 1975 May 3;1(7914):1031–1032. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(75)91974-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Li C. Y., Yam L. T., Crosby W. H. Histochemical characterization of cellular and structural elements of the human spleen. J Histochem Cytochem. 1972 Dec;20(12):1049–1058. doi: 10.1177/20.12.1049. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Mackler B. F., Frostad K. B., Robertson P. B., Levy B. M. Immunoglobulin bearing lymphocytes and plasma cells in human periodontal disease. J Periodontal Res. 1977 Jan;12(1):37–45. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1977.tb00107.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Mendes N. F., Miki S. S., Peixinho Z. F. Combined detection of human T and B lymphocytes by rosette formation with sheep erythrocytes and zymosan-C3 complexes. J Immunol. 1974 Aug;113(2):531–536. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Mueller J., Brun del Re G., Buerki H., Keller H. U., Hess M. W., Cottier H. Nonspecific acid esterase activity: a criterion for differentiation of T and B lymphocytes in mouse lymph nodes. Eur J Immunol. 1975 Apr;5(4):270–274. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830050411. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Müller-Hermelink H. K., Heusermann U., Stutte H. J. Enzyme histochemical observations on the localization and structure of the T cell and B cell regions in the human spleen. Cell Tissue Res. 1974;154(2):167–179. doi: 10.1007/BF00223162. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Parrott D. V., De Sousa M. A., East J. Thymus-dependent areas in the lymphoid organs of neonatally thymectomized mice. J Exp Med. 1966 Jan 1;123(1):191–204. doi: 10.1084/jem.123.1.191. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Ranki A., Tötterman T. H., Häyry P. Identification of resting human T and B lymphocytes by acid alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase staining combined with rosette formation with Staphylococcus aureus strain Cowan 1. Scand J Immunol. 1976;5(10):1129–1138. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1976.tb00254.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Seymour G. J., Dockrell H. M., Greenspan J. S. Fixation for immunofluorescence and enzyme histochemistry on serial sections. J Histochem Cytochem. 1976 Oct;24(10):1112–1115. doi: 10.1177/24.10.789760. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Smith J. L., Haegert D. B- and T-lymphocyte markers on transformed lymphocytes from mitogen-stimulated cultures of normal and CLL lymphocytes and on tonsil blasts. Clin Exp Immunol. 1974 Aug;17(4):547–560. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Tamaoki N., Essner E. Distribution of acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminise activities in lymphocytes of lymphatic tissues of man and rodents. J Histochem Cytochem. 1969 Apr;17(4):238–243. doi: 10.1177/17.4.238. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Williams R. C., Jr, DeBoard J. R., Mellbye O. J., Messner R. P., Lindström F. D. Studies of T- and B-lymphocytes in patients with connective tissue diseases. J Clin Invest. 1973 Feb;52(2):283–295. doi: 10.1172/JCI107184. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Yam L. T., Mitus W. J. The lymphocyte beta-glucuronidase activity in lymphoproliferative disorders. Blood. 1968 Apr;31(4):480–489. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Clinical and Experimental Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES