Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in human granulomas and histiocytic reactions

Abstract Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is required in immune response against infections and is involved in granuloma formation in animals; in murine macrophages, iNOS is induced by lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma. In contrast, the role of iNOS in human immune response against infections is still questioned, and its expression in granulomas is poorly investigated. Using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, we investigated iNOS expression in human lymph nodes with nonspecific reactions and in tissues containing granulomas caused by mycobacteria, Toxoplasma, Cryptococcus neoformans, Leishmania, Bartonella, noninfectious granulomas (sarcoidosis, foreign body), and other hystiocitic reactions (Kikuchi's disease, Omenn syndrome). iNOS was undetectable in nonspecific reactive lymphadenitis, foreign-body granulomas, and Omenn syndrome, whereas it was strongly expressed in infectious granulomas, sarcoidosis, and Kikuchi's diseases. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that iNOS was selectively expressed by the epithelioid and multinucleated giant cells within the granulomas. Use of an anti-nitrotyrosine antibody, recognizing nitrosilated amino acid residues derived from nitric oxide production, revealed a consistent positivity within the cells expressing iNOS, thus suggesting that iNOS is functionally active. Detection of cytokines by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that tissues that were positive for iNOS, also expressed the Thl-type cytokine interferon-gamma mRNA, but not the Th2-type cytokine interleukin-4. Taken together, these results indicate that iNOS is involved in different human immune reactions characterized by histiocytic/granulomatous inflammation and associated with Th1-type cytokine secretion.