Expression of Fas/FasL and their significance in the pathological tissues of SARS patients / 中国实用内科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the mechanisms and expressions of Fas/FasL in the lungs,spleens and lymph nodes of SARS patients.Methods The lungs,spleens and lymph nodes specimens of four autopsy cases and one control subject were studied with immunohistochemical mehod.Results Compared with normal tissues,apoptotic cells increased significantly in the spleens,lungs and lymph nodes of SARS patients.The apoptotic cells of lungs included alveolar epithelial ones,bronchial epithelial ones,monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes.Apoptosis in the spleens and the lymph nodes was observed primarily in monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes.Conclusion Over-expression of Fas/FasL is a general phenomenon in SARS,suggesting that Fas/FasL may play a key role in the pathogenesis of SARS.