Changes in the concentration and distribution of immunoglobulin-producing cells in SIDS palatine tonsils

Seventeen sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases and 9 controls, were examined immunohistochemically with regard to the presence of IgA-, IgM-, IgD, and IgG, as well as for the subtypes IgG1-, IgG2-, IgG3-, and IgG4-immunocytes. Differences in compartmentalization were also investigated. Differences were demonstrated between SIDS and controls in total number of IgG cells per 0.1 mm2 tissue area (median: 18.3, range: 12.3-30.2 versus median: 6.3, range: 2.0-14.6) (p < 0.01), and for IgA immunocytes (median: 3.9, range: 2.4-5.0 versus median: 1.5, range: 1.1-3.7) (p < 0.05), while no differences were demonstrated for IgM cells (median: 1.8, range: 1.2-3.3 versus median: 1.8, range: 0.7-5.6) or IgD cells (median: 1.9, range: 0.8-2.9 versus median: 1.6, range: 0.7-2.4). Differences were demonstrated between SIDS and control IgG plasma cells in all the four palatine tonsillar compartments; germinal centre (p < 0.01), mantle zone (p < 0.05), interfollicular area (p < 0.01) and reticular epithelium (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the number of IgA cells was higher in SIDS vs. controls in both the germinal centre (median: 1.4, range: 0.6-2.1 versus median: 0.6, range: 0.3-1.3) (p < 0.05) and in the interfollicular area (median: 2.2, range: 1.1-3.1 versus median: 0.5, range: 0.4-2.0) (p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)