Lymphocytes and dendritic cells in the normal uterine cervix. An immunohistochemical study.

OBJECTIVE

Assessment of the appearance, distribution and numerical density of immune cell populations in the normal human uterine cervix.

SETTING

University Hospital Gasthuisberg.

SUBJECTS: 29 healthy women undergoing total hysterectomy for non-cervical benign uterine disease.

ANALYSIS: Immunohistochemistry and morphometrical analysis on histological sections containing ectocervix, transformation zone and endocervix, using antibodies against the following antigens: HLA-DR, CD4, CD22, CD1a and CD8.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Wilcoxon rank sum test.

RESULTS

Lymphocytes in the epithelial and stromal compartments are predominantly T-lymphocytes. Intraepithelial T-lymphocyte and Langerhans' cell densities and their distribution are not influenced by the menstrual cycle and are the same in both ectocervix and transformation zone.

CONCLUSION

The wide variation of T lymphocyte subpopulations and Langerhans' cell densities in the normal epithelium of the uterine cervix is stressed. We are the first to present a large and well-defined control series, which is indispensable to study the effect of smoking and other factors on the cervical immune system.