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Article
November 1991

Eosinophil and Neutrophil Degranulation in Ophthalmic Lesions of Wegener's Granulomatosis

Author Affiliations

From the Department of Ophthalmology (Drs Trocme, Bartley, and Campbell), the Division of Pathology (Dr Campbell), the Allergic Diseases Research Laboratory (Dr Gleich), and the Department of Dermatology (Dr Leiferman), Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minn. Dr Trocme is now with the Cornea Service and Eye Research Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas, Medical Branch of Galveston, School of Medicine.

Arch Ophthalmol. 1991;109(11):1585-1589. doi:10.1001/archopht.1991.01080110121049
Abstract

• Although eosinophils and neutrophils have been identified in orbital and corneoscleral tissues in some patients with Wegener's granulomatosis, their role in the pathogenesis of the disorder is not completely understood. Nine specimens from six patients with Wegener's granulomatosis and autopsy controls from patients without ophthalmic disease were evaluated with indirect immunofluorescence for eosinophil granule major basic protein and neutrophil elastase. Extracellular deposition of both major basic protein and elastase was identified in orbital tissues from all the patients with Wegener's granulomatosis. Two of the specimens were from enucleated eyes with corneoscleral disease; extracellular deposition of eosinophil major basic protein was identified in one eye, and extracellular neutrophil elastase was deposited in both eyes in lesional areas. None of the control tissues showed major basic protein or elastase deposition. These findings suggest that both eosinophils and neutrophils participate in the pathogenesis of the orbital and corneoscleral manifestations of Wegener's granulomatosis.

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