Virchows Arch. 1996 Oct;429(2-3):139-47. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
Whether lymphoepithelial cysts in the parotid glands in HIV-infected
patients develop from pre-existing salivary gland inclusions in
intraparotid lymph nodes or from a lymphoepithelial lesion of salivary
parenchyma is unclear. To examine their pathogenesis we performed a
histological and immunohistochemical study of salivary specimens from
100 AIDS patients in different disease stages. There is a continuous
morphological spectrum of changes within the salivary parenchyma,
starting with lymphoid stroma infiltration and evolving to
characteristic lymphoepithelial duct lesions with a
immunohistochemically proven basal cell proliferation and to fully
developed ductal cysts. Involvement of myoepithelial cells-postulated in
comparable Sjogren-associated duct lesions-is excluded
immunohistochemically. Computer-assisted 3-D reconstructions confirm an
association of the cysts with the intralobular duct system. Our study
disproves the prevailing hypothesis, which suggests that the lymphoid
cell compartment of HIV-associated lymphoepithelial cysts stems from
pre-existing intraparotid lymph nodes. The results demonstrate that a
secondary lymphatic infiltration of salivary parenchyma provokes a
lymphoepithelial lesion of striated ducts with basal cell hyperplasia.
The frequent progression to a multifocal cystic lymphoepithelial lesion
may be supported by ductal compression through a high degree of
lymphofollicular hyperplasia in early disease.
Adult Aged Cadaver Child Child, Preschool
Cysts/*COMPLICATIONS/PATHOLOGY/VIROLOGY Cytomegalovirus
Infections/COMPLICATIONS Female Human HIV Infections/*COMPLICATIONS
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted Immunohistochemistry Male Middle
Age Parotid Diseases/*COMPLICATIONS/PATHOLOGY/VIROLOGY JOURNAL ARTICLE