concanavalin-a and Tonsillitis

To demonstrate mucosal biofilms in human tissue by direct visualization of bacteria and glycocalyx using confocal laser scanning microscopy with double fluorescent staining on tonsils and to compare the findings with the results of scanning electron microscopy analysis.. Prospective study.. Tertiary university-based referral center.. Twenty-four tonsils were obtained from children with chronic or recurrent tonsillitis.. Tonsils were prepared for analysis by scanning electronic microscopy and by confocal laser scanning microscopy.. Double fluorescent staining for confocal laser scanning microscopy consisted of propidium iodide staining to detect bacterial cells and fluorescein isothiocyanate concanavalin A staining to detect the glycocalyx matrix. Images were analyzed for characteristic biofilm morphologic features by 3 investigators who evaluated the images independently in a blinded retrospective manner. Consensus of all observers was required to demonstrate the presence of a biofilm in a specimen.. Findings from analyses using scanning electronic microscopy suggested the presence of biofilm formations on tonsils by showing bacterial cells in microcolonies. Double-staining technique using confocal laser scanning microscopy showed bacterial cells and the glycocalyx matrix, providing visual evidence for the presence of biofilms on tonsils.. Using a novel visualization approach in single sections of human mucosal tissue, the presence of biofilms was demonstrated on tonsils in most (17/24 [70.8%]) patients with tonsillitis.

Topics: Bacteria; Biofilms; Child; Concanavalin A; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; Fluorescent Dyes; Glycocalyx; Humans; Microscopy, Confocal; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Palatine Tonsil; Prospective Studies; Tonsillitis

There was no statistically significant difference in the intensity of the cell-mediated immune response of tonsillar T cells among different pathological conditions of the tonsils nor among different age groups. The tonsillar cell population of the adult was smaller than that of the child. Tonsillar cells were separated into 3 fractions with different specific gravities. In tonsillar cells from adults, fraction III consisting mainly of small lymphocytes with a high specific gravity occupied a larger portion than in those from children. Fraction I consisting of cells with a low specific gravity had a greater number of cells in the swollen tonsils of children than in the tonsils of adults. However, the absolute numbers of the cells in fraction III in adults and in children were nearly the same. The proportion of T cells in fraction III was higher than in fraction I. Hence, the proportion of T cells in adults' tonsils is higher than in children's tonsils. The cells composing fraction I include some cells that have undergone blastoid transformation in response to various stimuli and some lymphoid cells that are ontogenetically immature T cells, besides mature T cells. The cells composing fraction III include fully mature T cells and the total cell population of fraction III does not differ significantly with age. It seems likely that the child's tonsil contains a larger number of cells under antigenic stimulation or in preparation for immune response than does the adult's tonsil.

Topics: Adult; Aging; Bacterial Proteins; Child; Concanavalin A; Humans; Hyperplasia; Immunity, Cellular; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; Middle Aged; Palatine Tonsil; T-Lymphocytes; Thymosin; Tonsillitis

Immune response were examined in 10-year-old boys just before and one month after tonsillectomy, and in young male adults tonsillectomized 10 years earlier. All the parameters studied were found to be quite normal.

Topics: Adult; Antibodies, Bacterial; Antibodies, Viral; Child; Complement System Proteins; Concanavalin A; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Humans; Immunoglobulins; Leukocyte Count; Leukocytes; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocytes; Male; Nitroblue Tetrazolium; Phytohemagglutinins; Rosette Formation; Tetanus Toxoid; Tonsillectomy; Tonsillitis; Tuberculin