Thyroid associated ophthalmopathy: evidence for CD4(+) gammadelta T cells; de novo differentiation of RFD7(+) macrophages, but not of RFD1(+) dendritic cells; and loss of gammadelta and alphabeta T cell receptor expression

To characterise periorbital immune cells (stages, kinetics) in active and inactive thyroid associated ophthalmopathy (A-TAO; I-TAO). In orbital tissue cryosections of patients with A-TAO (n = 15), I-TAO (n = 11), and healthy controls (n = 14), adipose and fibrovascular areas were evaluated for MHC II(+) cells, CD45(+) total leukocytes, myeloid cells (CD33(+) monocytes; CD14(+) macrophages; mature RFD7(+) macrophages; RFD1(+) dendritic cells (DCs)), and lymphoid cells (CD4(+) T cells; alphabeta and gammadelta T cells; CD20(+) B cells). Results are expressed as medians and 5% confidence intervals. In fibrovascular septae, a surge of CD33(+) immigrants clearly correlating with disease activity generated significantly increased (p