Objective: The present study investigated the densities of mast cells and CCL-11/eotaxin-1 expression of tumor cells in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) of the jaw.
Study design: Eleven LCH cases arising in the jaws were selected. We evaluated eotaxin-1 expression in LCH cells via immunohistochemical staining. Toluidine blue was used to stain mast cells, with 20 periapical granuloma specimens serving as the control group.
Results: In all 7 patients with multifocal LCH, jaw lesions were the earliest manifestation. Toluidine blue staining revealed that most of the mast cells involved in LCH were degranulated, and the number of mast cells in LCH lesions was not significantly higher than in periapical granulomas. Upon immunohistochemical examination, all patients but one showed positivity for eotaxin-1 in LCH cells.
Conclusion: This preliminary study suggests that eotaxin-1 expression in LCH cells may contribute to eosinophilic infiltration. Further studies of chemokine-receptor interactions will be needed to confirm this.
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