Lymphocyte subsets of maxillary mucosa in chronic inflammation.

Subsets of infiltrating lymphocytes within maxillary sinus mucosae of patients with chronic sinusitis were investigated by immunoperoxidase staining of frozen sections with the use of monoclonal antibodies. The most commonly observed infiltrating cell type was suppressor/cytotoxic T cells (CD8+) and smaller subpopulations of lymphocytes were helper/inducer T cells (CD4+) and B cells (CD20+). Variable numbers of HLA-DR+ cells were commonly observed in the lamina propria. The fibrous type of chronic sinusitis was found to have more suppressor/cytotoxic T cells (CD8+) and lower CD4/CD8 ratio than the other histopathological types.