Immunocytological study of phlyctenular eye disease.

Scrapings from phlyctens and conjunctiva of 12 patients with phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis were studied using OKT4-Leu3a, OKT8, B1, BA1, S-100 and HLA-DR monoclonal antibodies. T-lymphocytes were present in both conjunctival and phlyctenular scrapings. OKT4-Leu3a positive cells outnumbered the OKT8 positive cells in both conjunctival and phlyctenular scrapings. B1 and BA1 positive cells were absent from the conjunctival scrapings, but were present in the phlyctenular scrapings. S-100 positive cells were present in both conjunctival and phlyctenular scrapings. However, they were very few in the conjunctival scrapings. Most of the cells in both conjunctival and phlyctenular scrapings were HLA-DR positive. These findings support the hypothesis that cell mediated immunity is responsible for the pathogenesis of phlyctenular eye disease.