Tonsillar granuloma associated with hypogammaglobulinemia.

Background: Rare tonsillar granulomas may be caused for example by infections, malignancies or sarcoidosis. Granulomas also occur in inborn errors of immunity (IEI) such as common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) with B cell maturation defects and hypogammaglobulinemia. CVID shares various features with sarcoidosis and drug-induced secondary hypogammaglobulinemia; careful consideration of differential diagnosis between these conditions is warranted.

Thoracoscopic lung biopsy is a safe procedure in diagnosing usual interstitial pneumonia.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of lung biopsy on the survival of patients when histopathologic confirmation of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) is needed.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a distinct clinical entity with histopathologic features of UIP. Surgical biopsy is needed when clinical and radiologic findings are not typical.

Cell-specific regulation of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase in human interstitial lung diseases.

The pathogenesis of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) is known to be associated with reactive oxygen and nitrogen metabolites and increased oxidant stress. One of the major antioxidants in human lung is glutathione (GSH) and enzymes linked to its synthesis. The rate-limiting enzyme of GSH synthesis is gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (gamma-GCS) containing catalytically active heavy (gamma-GCSh) and regulatory light (gamma-GCSl) subunits.

Expression of the thioredoxin system in interstitial lung disease.

The thioredoxin system containing thioredoxin (Trx) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) has profound effects on cell proliferation and protection against exogenous oxidants. The significance of the Trx system in human lung and lung diseases is, however, largely unresolved. Altogether, 66 specimens of human lung were investigated by immunohistochemistry for their expression of Trx and TrxR.