Chronic granulomatous disease: an ultrastructural study of the pigment laden histiocytes

Tip of the iceberg: A comprehensive review of liver disease in Inborn errors of immunity

Inborn errors of immunity (IEIs) consist of numerous rare, inherited defects of the immune system that affect about 500,000 people in the United States. As advancements in diagnosis through genetic testing and treatment with targeted immunotherapy and bone marrow transplant emerge, increasing numbers of patients survive into adulthood posing fresh clinical challenges. A large spectrum of hepatobiliary diseases now present in those with immunodeficiency diseases, leading to morbidity and mortality in this population. Awareness of these hepatobiliary diseases has lagged the improved management of the underlying disorders, leading to missed opportunities to improve clinical outcomes. This review article provides a detailed description of specific liver diseases occurring in various inborn errors of immunity. A generalized approach to diagnosis and management of hepatic complications is provided, and collaboration with hepatologists, immunologists, and pathologists is emphasized as a requirement for optimizing management and outcomes.

Cytologic and Ultrastructural Findings of Bronchoalveolar Lavage in Patients With Chronic Granulomatous Disease

Background Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a hereditary immunodeficiency caused by mutations in genes encoding nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase enzyme complex, which lead to the inability to kill intracellular pathogens. Patients with CGD are susceptible to recurrent bacterial and fungal infections in their early lives. Although the recent survival rate has been significantly improved, early diagnosis is critical to prevent multiple organ impairment. In 1950s, CGD was first described as a disease with recurrent infections and visceral infiltration of granulomas and pigmented histiocytes. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is commonly performed for patients with CGD; however, no study has described the cytologic features of alveolar macrophages. Methods Cytology of 20 BALs from 11 CGD patients was examined. The greatest diameters of randomly selected 100 alveolar macrophages in each BAL were measured using image analysis and compared with 20 disease control BALs from non-CGD patients. Macrophages from 2 groups were compared with repeated measures mixed-model analysis. Ultrastructural analysis was performed on a representative CGD BAL. Results BALs from CGD patients showed variable numbers of neutrophils and lipid-laden macrophages. Macrophages in CGD BALs were significantly larger than disease control BALs ( P < .0001) and showed "foamy" vacuolated cytoplasm. Ultrastructural analysis revealed the macrophages filled with enlarged lysosomes containing lipofuscin-like materials, which made their appearance "foamy." Conclusion In this study, we demonstrate novel BAL findings in CGD patients. The presence of enlarged "foamy" alveolar macrophages is not specific for CGD, but CGD should be considered as a differential diagnosis when foamy macrophages are present.

Diversion of the fecal stream resolves ulcerative colitis complicating chronic granulomatous disease in an adult patient

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary phagocytic disorder characterized by greatly increased susceptibility to severe bacterial and fungal infections. Patients with CGD may have gastrointestinal manifestations, commonly colitis, usually mimicking Crohn disease. We report an adult case, the second in literature, of CGD with severe colitis displaying histologic features of ulcerative colitis. The patient had a prompt improvement (continuing up to more than 5 y of follow-up) of the clinical picture after ileostomy and fecal diversion.

The nature of colitis in chronic granulomatous disease

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) may have gastrointestinal manifestations, commonly colitis. The etiology, prevalence, and inflammatory process of CGD colitis are unclear.

OBJECTIVES

To characterize the inflammatory process of CGD colitis and to compare it with other inflammatory bowel disorders.

METHODS

Colonic mucosal biopsies from 8 CGD patients were immunostained for eosinophils, neutrophils, macrophages, and adhesion molecules (ICAM; VCAM, E-selectin) and compared with normal and diseased controls (allergic colitis, ulcerative colitis, and melanosis coli). Cell types were counted and expressed as cell/mm2.

RESULTS

The inflammatory infiltrate in CGD colitis differed from the normal controls by an increase in eosinophils (110; 48-176 [median and range] versus 14.5; 3-30; P < 0.005) and macrophages (291.5; 203-480 versus 38.5; 27-64; P < 0.005). There was a paucity of neutrophils compared to ulcerative colitis (10; 0-101 versus 315.5; 78-688; P < 0.005). Expression of HLA-DR was increased in the epithelium and vascular endothelium in CGD compared with normal controls. Patterns of expression of the adhesion molecules differed significantly in CGD from those in other inflammatory bowel diseases: intracellular adhesion molecule-1 was more strongly expressed in the lamina propria, vascular adhesion molecule-1 was more patchily expressed, and E-selectin was present only in the small vessels.

CONCLUSIONS

The mechanism of inflammation and profile of inflammatory mediators in CGD colitis differs from that in other inflammatory bowel diseases.

A field study on EROD activity and quantitative hepatocytological changes in an immature demersal fish

Demersal fish, Solea ovata, were sampled from a reference site and a site where highly contaminated sediment is dumped. Sexually immature fish from the contaminated site exhibited significantly higher EROD activity compared with counterparts sampled from the reference site. No significant difference in EROD activity could be found for sexually mature males and females between sites. The relationship between EROD activity and quantitative changes in hepatic lipofuscin/ceroid, as well as peroxisome, was investigated for immature S. ovata. A significant correlation was found between EROD activity and volume density of lipofuscin/ceroid in fish hepatocyte (r = 0.750; P < 0.05), but no significant correlation was discernible between EROD activity and peroxisomes. Results from this field study corroborate our earlier laboratory findings, in which induction of EROD activity by intraperitoneal injection of benzo[a]pyrene was associated with increase in absolute volume and absolute number of lipofuscin/ceroid in hepatocytes. The present study provides further evidence that induction of EROD activity is associated with an increase in hepatic lipofuscin/ceroid and possibly cytological damages in immature S. ovata. This cytological change may serve as a potential marker for exposure to PAHs and PCBs.

Cutaneous manifestations of chronic granulomatous disease. A report of four cases and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Chronic granulomatous disease represents a group of genetic disorders in which impaired intracellular microbial killing by phagocytes leads to recurrent bacterial and fungal infections and granuloma formation. Cutaneous disease occurs in 60% to 70% of cases. The characteristic histologic finding of pigmented lipid macrophages in visceral granulomas has not been described previously in the skin.

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to review our experience of skin disorders in chronic granulomatous disease.

METHODS

We studied the clinical and histologic findings in four patients with chronic granulomatous disease and unusual skin lesions. We reviewed the skin disorders seen in five additional patients with chronic granulomatous disease referred to the pediatric dermatology clinic. The literature was reviewed for previously reported cutaneous manifestations of chronic granulomatous disease.

RESULTS

A teenage boy with chronic granulomatous colitis had nonulcerating cutaneous granulomas from which no organisms were isolated. Histologic examination of both skin and bowel revealed the characteristic golden-yellow granular pigment in macrophages. A second boy had cutaneous aspergillosis involving the left foot; histologic examination revealed macrophages containing yellow-brown pigment at the periphery of the granulomatous inflammation. Two children had vesicular skin lesions. These lesions were recurrent in one boy for several years. In the second child they were associated with fatal intracranial and pulmonary infection. Histologic examination in both cases revealed a subcorneal polymorphonuclear infiltrate and perivascular macrophages containing yellow-brown pigment. Cultures were either negative or revealed organisms that are normally nonpathogenic skin commensals, such as coagulase-negative staphylococci.

CONCLUSION

The cutaneous manifestations of chronic granulomatous disease encompass a variety of infections and inflammatory lesions. Diagnostic and therapeutic problems may arise because of difficulty in isolating a causative organism. The characteristic pigmented macrophages of visceral granulomas can also be found in skin lesions.

Colitis complicating chronic granulomatous disease. A clinicopathological case report

BACKGROUND

This report concerns a female patient now aged 24 years, diagnosed at the age of 7 years as suffering from chronic granulomatous disease. At age 20 she developed diarrhoea accompanied by rectal bleeding. Endoscopy showed extensive colitis. She failed to respond to medical treatment and underwent total colectomy two years later.

AIMS

To discuss the histological changes in the colon in chronic granulomatous disease.

RESULTS

There was extensive mucosal inflammation throughout colon and rectum resembling ulcerative colitis. In addition characteristic large pigmented macrophages were distributed in the basal mucosa and superficial submucosa. Similar cells accompanied by granulomata were present in mesenteric lymph nodes.

CONCLUSIONS

Colitis is an unusual clinical manifestation of chronic granulomatous disease but the presence and characteristic distribution of such pigmented macrophages in colonic biopsy in children and young adults may suggest the diagnosis.