T lymphocyte subsets in the duodenal epithelium in dermatitis herpetiformis

Monoclonal antibodies to human T lymphocyte subsets and HLA-DR antigens were used to characterize the intra-epithelial T lymphocytes and HLA-DR reactive cells in the duodenal epithelium in dermatitis herpetiformis (DH). The expression of HLA-DR antigens on the epithelial cells was similar in patients and controls. There were significantly more Leu 2a (suppressor/ cytotoxic phenotype) reactive cells, as related to epithelial length, in 7 patients with DH than in the epithelium of 5 controls. However, the ratio of Leu 2a (suppressor/cytotoxic phenotype) to Leu 3a (helper/inducer phenotype) reactive cells was the same in the patients as in the controls. Thus this study indicates that there is a quantitative rather than a qualitative difference in T lymphocyte subpopulations in duodenal epithelium between patients with DH and normal persons.