Abstract: Objective To investigate the profile,and to assess the significance of T and B lymphocytes in the lesional skin of primary cutaneous amyloidosis.Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the CD3,CD4,CD8 and CD20 markers on T and B lymphocytes in lesions of 60 patients with primary cutaneous amyloidosis,and in the skin of 29 normal controls.Results Compared to skin obtained from control population,the total number of lymphocytes,the mean number of CD³⁺ T lymphocytes,CD8⁺ T lymphocytes and CD20⁺ B lymphocytes,were all significantly elevated (all P<0.05),while the ratio of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes to CD8⁺ T lymphocytes was significantly decreased (P<0.05) in the lesional skin of primary cutaneous amyloidosis.There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the mean number of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes in skin obtained from the control population and lesional skin obtained from patients.There was no significant difference among the lesions of lichen amyloidosis,macular amyloidosis and biphasic amyloidosis in the mean number of T lymphocytes or that of B lymphocytes (P>0.05).Conclusion There is abnormal expression of T and B lymphocytes in the local lesions of primary cutaneous amyloidosis,but there is no difference in the T and B lymphocyte profile among the three clinical types of primary cutaneous amyloidosis.

Key words: Amyloidosis, T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes