Damage to secondary lymphoid follicles in AIDS-related persistent generalized lymphadenopathy, as revealed by the behaviour of dendritic reticulum cells possessing immunoreactive acid cysteine-proteinase inhibitor.

It has been shown previously that dendritic reticulum cells (DRC) in human secondary lymphoid follicles possess an immunoreactive acid cysteine-proteinase inhibitor (ACPI). In the present study, lymph nodes from 12 patients with AIDS-related persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) were investigated in order to detect whether or not any alterations occur in ACPI-immunoreactive DRC in this disorder. In the majority of PGL cases, profound alterations were found, the main characteristics of which were erosion, partial or total disruption of lymphoid follicles. However, similar though much less marked alterations were also found in some control cases. It is concluded that this type of follicular damage is a common and characteristic feature in PGL. It is not specific to PGL, however, but represents rather a special type of reaction in lymphatic tissue. The advantage of ACPI immunohistology for demonstrating the DRC pattern is that it can be performed on routinely fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues.