Altered tissue eosinophils in Hodgkin's disease

Eosinophils were studied ultrastructurally and cytochemically in lymph nodes, spleen, lung, and peripheral blood from patients with Hodgkin's disease, reticulum cell sarcoma, and a chronic inflammatory disease. When compared with buffy coat eosinophils, the tissue eosinophils showed a marked numerical increase in acid phosphatase- and aryl sulfatase-positive small granules, a corresponding decrease in crystalloid granules, and various structural alterations of crystalloid granules. Changes in the tubular vesicular system appeared independent of granule alteration. Eosinophils afforded little or no evilence of exocytosis of cytoplasmic granules or macroendocytic activity and appeared involved in microendocytosis.