Immunohistochemical studies in lymphocytic infiltration of the skin (Jessner) and discoid lupus erythematosus. A comparative study.

Differentiation between Jessner's lymphocytic infiltration of the skin (LIS) and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) may be extremely difficult. Therefore, skin biopsy specimens from eight patients with LIS and eight with DLE were studied immunohistochemically with monoclonal antibodies against T cell differentiating antigens, Ia-like (HLA-DR) antigens, and antigens present on Langerhans and/or related cells (OKT6), B cells, and monocytes (OKM1). In all patients studied the majority of the infiltrating cells reacted with the pan-T cell antisera Leu-1 and Leu-4, whereas B cells were few or absent. However, whereas OKT6+ Langerhans cells and HLA-DR+ (activated) T cells were present in most patients with DLE, these cells were never observed in the perivascular infiltrates of patients with LIS. These different staining patterns for OKT6 and anti-HLA-DR antisera may not only be of help in differentiating between LIS and DLE, but may also reflect differences in the pathogenetic mechanisms involved, which argues against a possible relationship between these conditions.