Biomaterial Database

Ultrastructural studies in Langerhans cell histiocytosis: a search for evidence of viral etiology. 1994

G W Mierau, and E J Wills, and P O Steele

Department of Pathology, Children's Hospital, Denver, Colorado 80218.

The ultrastructure of lesional cells in biopsy material from 50 cases of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) was studied for the effects of virus and/or cytokines. Viral "footprints," which actually represent ultrastructural signs of the effects of cytokines on cells, were found in 76% of the cases. These were detected in lesional Langerhans cells, endothelial cells, and lymphocytes and consisted of tubuloreticular structures, cylindrical confronting cisternae, and curvilinear membranous formations. No virus particles or virus-specific cell products were found. These studies suggest that LCH cells are subject to cytokine stimulation but provide no evidence to implicate a virus in the disease process.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D006646	Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell	A group of disorders resulting from the abnormal proliferation of and tissue infiltration by LANGERHANS CELLS which can be detected by their characteristic Birbeck granules (X bodies), or by monoclonal antibody staining for their surface CD1 ANTIGENS. Langerhans-cell granulomatosis can involve a single organ, or can be a systemic disorder.	Histiocytosis X,Langerhans-Cell Granulomatosis,Langerhans-Cell Histiocytosis,Hand-Schueller-Christian Disease,Hand-Schueller-Christian Syndrome,Hand-Schüller-Christian Disease,Hand-Schüller-Christian Syndrome,Hashimoto-Pritzger Disease,Histiocytosis, Generalized,Histiocytosis-X,Langerhans Cell Granulomatosis,Langerhans Cell Granulomatosis, Pulmonary,Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis,Letterer-Siwe Disease,Non-Lipid Reticuloendotheliosis,Pulmonary Histiocytosis X,Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Granulomatosis,Schueller-Christian Disease,Systemic Aleukemic Reticuloendotheliosis,Type 2 Histiocytosis,Aleukemic Reticuloendothelioses, Systemic,Aleukemic Reticuloendotheliosis, Systemic,Cell Granulomatoses, Langerhans,Cell Granulomatosis, Langerhans,Cell Histiocytoses, Langerhans,Cell Histiocytosis, Langerhans,Disease, Hand-Schueller-Christian,Disease, Hand-Schüller-Christian,Disease, Hashimoto-Pritzger,Disease, Letterer-Siwe,Disease, Schueller-Christian,Diseases, Hashimoto-Pritzger,Generalized Histiocytoses,Generalized Histiocytosis,Granulomatoses, Langerhans Cell,Granulomatosis, Langerhans Cell,Granulomatosis, Langerhans-Cell,Hand Schueller Christian Disease,Hand Schueller Christian Syndrome,Hand Schüller Christian Disease,Hand Schüller Christian Syndrome,Hashimoto Pritzger Disease,Hashimoto-Pritzger Diseases,Histiocytoses, Generalized,Histiocytoses, Langerhans Cell,Histiocytoses, Type 2,Histiocytosis X, Pulmonary,Histiocytosis, Langerhans Cell,Histiocytosis, Type 2,Langerhans Cell Granulomatoses,Langerhans Cell Histiocytoses,Letterer Siwe Disease,Non Lipid Reticuloendotheliosis,Non-Lipid Reticuloendothelioses,Reticuloendothelioses, Non-Lipid,Reticuloendothelioses, Systemic Aleukemic,Reticuloendotheliosis, Non-Lipid,Reticuloendotheliosis, Systemic Aleukemic,Schueller Christian Disease,Syndrome, Hand-Schueller-Christian,Syndrome, Hand-Schüller-Christian,Systemic Aleukemic Reticuloendothelioses,Type 2 Histiocytoses
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014780	Viruses	Minute infectious agents whose genomes are composed of DNA or RNA, but not both. They are characterized by a lack of independent metabolism and the inability to replicate outside living host cells.	Animal Viruses,Zoophaginae,Animal Virus,Virus,Virus, Animal,Viruses, Animal