Study of AIDS-related lymphadenopathy in the intraparotid and perisubmaxillary gland lymph nodes

Salivary gland lymph node involvement is rare in patients at risk for AIDS. Intraparotid and perisubmaxillary gland lymph node biopsies from 2 intravenous drug abusers serologically positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) affected by persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) were also analyzed immunohistologically. We found hypervascular reactive lymphoid hyperplasia with prevalence of suppressor T-cells within follicular centers often lacking surface IgD-positive mantle zone cells and showing disruption of the network of dendritic reticulum cells revealed with DRC-1 and anti-S-100 protein antibodies. Within the nodes there were numerous cysts lined by metaplastic squamous epithelium/positive for epithelial membrane antigen and containing numerous lymphocytes positive for leukocyte common antigen, macrophages positive for alpha 1 -antichymotrypsin, and Langerhans cells positive for OKT6. Salivary gland lymph nodes are immunohistologically similar to those of other sites in PGL and their increased epithelial metaplastic component containing cells involved in the immune response might represent an exuberant reaction to HIV infection.