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Changes in the number of gut mucosal T-lymphocytes and macrophages in patients treated by external biliary drainage
K Fukuoka1, T Ajiki, M Miyazawa
1First Department of Surgery, Kobe University School of Medicine, Japan.
Objective:
To examine the changes in the number of T cells and macrophages in the mucosal lamina propria in the presence or absence of bile in the gastrointestinal tract.
Design:
Clinical study.
Setting:
University hospital, Japan.
Subjects:
6 patients with obstructive jaundice who had external biliary drainage (drainage group) and 6 patients with no signs of obstructive jaundice (control group).
Interventions:
Gastrointestinal specimens were taken at the time of operation.
Main Outcome Measures:
The number of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and CD68+ macrophages in the lamina propria mucosae in each group measured immunohistochemically.
Results:
The numbers of CD8 T cells and CD68+ macrophages in the lamina propria of the patients treated by external drainage were significantly less than in the control group (p < 0.01). However, there was no difference in the number of CD4+ T cells between the groups (p = 0.45).
Conclusions:
In the absence of bile, mucosal immune function fails as a result of reduced numbers of CD8+ T cells and macrophages.
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