T cells selectively infiltrate bone marrow areas with residual haemopoiesis of patients with acquired aplastic anaemia

Abstract

Aplastic anaemia (AA) is characterized by pancytopenia and bone marrow (BM) hypocellularity. In some patients AA may be mediated by T cells. To localize inflammatory cell infiltrates, we carried out a quantitative immunohistochemical analysis of BM biopsies of AA patients. In five out of eight biopsies, significantly higher numbers T cells were found in the areas with residual haemopoiesis (RH). The significantly increased numbers of CD3+ T cells in areas with RH supports the hypothesis of a site-directed infiltration and/or a local proliferation of T cells in the BM of patients with AA.