Immunohistochemical study of normal and mange (S. scabiei var. rupicaprae) infested chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra L.) skin.

The immunohistochemical study of chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra L.) skin showed that a limited number of available monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies expressed reactivity with skin cell components. These included cytokeratins, vimentin, desmin, neuron-specific enolase and S-100 protein with almost the same distribution pattern as already described in the skin of humans and animals. Antibodies used for labelling skin-associated lymphoid tissues and other cells with the immunologic function in human skin failed to demonstrate these cells in the chamois skin with the exception of LCA and OKT6 antibodies. Epidermal Langerhans cells were reliably demonstrated only by the enzyme histochemical method for adenosine triphosphatase, while the majority of mononuclear cells in dermal infiltrates showed a strong immunoreaction with OKT6 antibody. The histologic and histochemical analysis showed that the dermal infiltrations in infested skin consisted of macrophages, lymphocytes, granulocytes, mastocytes and fibroblasts. The chamois skin affected with sarcoptes mange showed a significant loss of cytokeratins in the epidermis and its derivatives. Particular keratinocytes showing nonspecific staining with several antibodies were also described and discussed in this paper.