Immunoglobulin heavy chain patterns in reactive lymphadenopathy

Thirty one lymph nodes taken from 24 benign reactive cases, three cases of angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia, one case of Kimura's disease and three cases of Hodgkin's disease, were stained for immunoglobulin heavy chains IgG, IgM, IgA and IgE using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. Reticular staining of germinal centres and cells containing immunoglobulin in germinal centres and extrafollicular regions were features of all groups. No staining pattern was diagnostic for any of these conditions and in particular, the reticular staining pattern of IgE in the germinal centres that is frequently reported in Kimura's disease and in angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia was non-specific.