Upper palpebral conjunctival biopsy specimens obtained from eight patients with active trachoma were examined by routine histological and immunohistochemical methods. The epithelium expressed class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) products throughout and class II MHC products in the superficial layers. The epithelial inflammatory infiltrate consisted of polymorphonuclear leucocytes, macrophages, T lymphocytes, and dendritic cells. In the underlying stroma the inflammatory infiltrate was organised as B lymphoid follicles, and there was also a diffuse infiltrate consisting of plasma cells and scattered B lymphoid cells, dendritic cells, T cells, macrophages, and polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Each type of cell has its special location in the tissue. Plasma cells were located on a subepithelial band and as a dense infiltrate round the acini of accessory lacrimal glands. IgA+ plasma cells outnumbered IgG+ cells, whereas IgM+ and IgE+ cells were few. Our data provide good evidence for the presence of both humoral and cell mediated immune responses and a possible role for autoimmune mechanisms in the conjunctival tissues of trachoma patients.
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机译：通过常规组织学和免疫组织化学方法检查了八名活动性沙眼患者的上睑结膜活检标本。整个上皮表达I类主要组织相容性复合物（MHC），表层表达II类MHC。上皮炎性浸润由多形核白细胞，巨噬细胞，T淋巴细胞和树突状细胞组成。在下面的基质中，炎症浸润组织为B淋巴滤泡，并且还存在由浆细胞和分散的B淋巴样细胞，树突细胞，T细胞，巨噬细胞和多形核白细胞组成的弥漫性浸润。每种类型的细胞在组织中都有其特殊的位置。浆细胞位于上皮下带上，并作为密集的浸润物围绕泪腺的腺泡。 IgA +浆细胞超过IgG +细胞，而IgM +和IgE +细胞很少。我们的数据为沙眼患者结膜组织中体液和细胞介导的免疫反应的存在以及自身免疫机制的可能作用提供了良好的证据。
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