Nahass G T, Penneys N S
Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri.
J Am Acad Dermatol. 1994 Jul;31(1):86-8. doi: 10.1016/s0190-9622(94)70141-5.
Increased numbers of dermal nerves have been demonstrated in prurigo nodularis and have been theoretically linked to the intense pruritus. We hypothesized that the neuronal proliferation in prurigo nodularis might be associated with an increased density of Merkel cells because they are also a component of the neurocutaneous system.
We examined skin biopsy specimens from 20 cases of prurigo nodularis for Merkel cells with the use of a standard immunohistochemical assay (avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex system) with an antibody to cytokeratin 8 (CAM 5.2). Six cases of lichen simplex chronicus were examined as controls.
Merkel cells were present in the interfollicular area of the basal cell layer in 15 (75%) of 20 prurigo nodularis cases and in one (17%) of six cases of lichen simplex chronicus.
Merkel cells are increased in number in prurigo nodularis and may be a component of the neurocutaneous abnormality associated with this disorder.
结节性痒疹中真皮神经数量增加，理论上与剧烈瘙痒有关。我们推测结节性痒疹中的神经元增殖可能与默克尔细胞密度增加有关，因为它们也是神经皮肤系统的组成部分。
我们使用标准免疫组织化学检测法（抗生物素蛋白-生物素-过氧化物酶复合物系统）和细胞角蛋白8（CAM 5.2）抗体，对20例结节性痒疹患者的皮肤活检标本进行默克尔细胞检测。以6例慢性单纯性苔藓患者作为对照。
20例结节性痒疹患者中有15例（75%）在基底细胞层的毛囊间区域存在默克尔细胞，6例慢性单纯性苔藓患者中有1例（17%）存在默克尔细胞。
结节性痒疹中默克尔细胞数量增加，可能是与该疾病相关的神经皮肤异常的一个组成部分。
