Immunohistochemical study of nasal mucosa in patients with common variable immunodeficiency.

The presence of immunoglobulin (Ig)-producing cells was studied immunohistochemically in nasal mucosa obtained from adult patients with common variable immunodeficiency. In 11 of 19 biopsy specimens no such cells could be detected and with one exception very few appeared in the others. Distinct sign of epithelial IgM transport mediated by secretory component (SC) was seen in three specimens although the epithelial distribution of SC appeared normal in all cases. All patients had recurrent lower respiratory tract infections and 16 had recurrent infections of the upper respiratory tract. The localization of the infections primarily to the respiratory tract might be explained by the fact that the immunodeficiency, as reflected by the low serum Ig concentrations, was still more severely expressed at the B cell level in the nasal mucosa.