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Fas/Fas Ligand–mediated Apoptosis in Different Cell Lineages and Functional Compartments of Human Lymph Nodes

Tuomo S. Kokkonen and Tuomo J. Karttunen

Department of Pathology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

Correspondence to: Tuomo S. Kokkonen, MD, Department of Pathology, University of Oulu, PO Box 5000, FIN-90014 Oulu, Finland. E-mail: tuomo.kokkonen{at}oulu.fi

We have optimized an immunohistochemical double-staining method combining immunohistochemical lymphocyte lineage marker detection and apoptosis detection with terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP nick end labeling. The method was used to trace Fas-mediated apoptosis in human reactive lymph nodes according to cell lineage and anatomical location. In addition to Fas, we also studied the expression of Fas ligand (FasL), CD3, CD20, CD19, CD23, and CD68 of apoptotic cells. The presence of simultaneous Fas and FasL positivity indicated involvement of activation-induced death in the induction of paracortical apoptosis. FasL expression in the high endothelial venules might be an inductor of apoptosis of Fas-positive lymphoid cells. In addition to B-lymphocyte apoptosis in the germinal centers, there was often a high apoptosis rate of CD23-expressing follicular dendritic cells. In summary, our double-staining method provides valuable new information about the occurrence and mechanisms of apoptosis of different immune cell types in the lymph node compartments. Among other things, we present support for the importance of Fas/FasL–mediated apoptosis in lymph node homeostasis. (J Histochem Cytochem 58:131–140, 2010)

Key Words: Fas • Fas ligand • lymph node • immunohistochemistry • double stain • germinal center • high endothelial venules • apoptosis • activation-induced cell death • lymphocytes

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