Frozen sections from 37 schwannomas
of the V111 nerve were reacted with a panel of
monoclonal antibodies to macrophage, lymphocyte,
I-ILA-Dr invariant chain and nuclear proliferation
antigens. A moderate number of rnacrophages was
demonstrated in 96% of tumours. CD8- and CD4-
lymphocytes were detected in slightly smaller numbers
in up to 87% and 23% of tumours respectively.
B-lyrnphocytes were present in only 2/32 cases
and NK-cells were absent from all 16 cases tested.
HLA-Dr antigen was expressed by macrophages in most
cases and by tumour cells in 13/24 tumours. These
findings may represent evidence for a degree of cellular
immune response. Occasional cells featuring nuclear
proliferation were detected in 15/27 cases.
