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Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, November 2004, p. 1154-1157, Vol. 11, No. 6
1071-412X/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/CDLI.11.6.1154-1157.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Structural and Immunological Characteristics of Chronically Inflamed Adenotonsillar Tissue in Childhood

Desiderio Passàli,1* Valerio Damiani,1 Giulio Cesare Passàli,1 Francesco Maria Passàli,1 Antonio Boccazzi,2 and Luisa Bellussi1

Ear-Nose-Throat Department, University of Siena Medical School Policlinico Le Scotte, Siena,1 Paediatric Department, University of Milan Medical School, Milan, Italy2

Received 17 March 2004/ Returned for modification 16 April 2004/ Accepted 8 July 2004

Recurrent or chronic adenotonsillar infections mainly affect children and frequently involve otherwise healthy subjects. Therefore, having excluded systemic immunological deficiencies, this disease may be due to a local dysfunction of the epithelial structures at either the rhino or oropharyngeal level. The aim of the present investigation was to analyze structural and immunological aspects of tonsils and adenoids in subjects who underwent adenotonsillectomy because of recurrent inflammatory episodes with fever. Histological studies and analyses of the cytokine patterns were carried out in palatine tonsils and adenoid samples from 105 patients who underwent adenoidectomy and bilateral extracapsular tonsillectomy for chronic inflammatory hypertrophy of these organs; 46 of the 105 cases examined presented hyperkeratosis of the crypt epithelium; in the remaining 59, the epithelium was hyperplastic with no signs of keratosis. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a continuous epithelial surface of polygon-shaped flattened cells with fissures towards the cryptic depressions. Titration of interleukin-1ß and tumor necrosis factor alpha in serum and tissues demonstrated higher concentrations in the adenotonsillar specimens, whereas the rise in interleukin-6 was more modest.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: E.N.T. Department, University of Siena Medical School Policlinico Le Scotte, Viale Bracci 53100, Siena, Italy. Phone: 0039/577/40035. Fax: 0039/577/47940. E-mail: passali{at}unisi.it.

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, November 2004, p. 1154-1157, Vol. 11, No. 6
1071-412X/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/CDLI.11.6.1154-1157.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Alatas, N., Baba, F. (2008). Proliferating Active Cells, Lymphocyte Subsets, and Dendritic Cells in Recurrent Tonsillitis: Their Effect on Hypertrophy. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 134: 477-483 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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