85 yo female with 1 year of progressive dysphagia, & symmetric weakness, proximal legs & arms + distal arms with 50 lb weight loss.
CK = 2,800.
Nailfold Capillaroscopy

From: B Hopfinger
|

From: B Hopfinger
|
Inflammatory Myopathy
Muscle fibers
Morphology: Varied sizes; Many small
Internal architecture
Cytoplasm
Immune:
MHC1 upregulated
Inflammation
Types
Lymphocytes:
Foci &
Scattered in Endomysium,
Types
Histiocytes: Scattered in Endomysium; Few in Perimysium
Distribution: Endomysial; Foci & Scattered
Cell Foci contain: Small vessels that contain endothelium & thin wall
Connective tissue
Perimysium:
Fragmented in some regions
Endomysium:
Increased;
C5b9 deposition
Vessels
Endomysial capillaries: Large; Reduced numbers; Alkaline phosphatase +

H&E stain
|
Muscle fibers
Sizes: Varied; General atrophy
Inflammation
Scattered in endomysium & perimysium
Lymphocyte Foci
Endomysial connective tissue
Increased between muscle fibers

Congo red stain
|

H&E stain
|
Inflammation
Scattered in endomysium betweem muscle fibers
Perimysial connective tissue: Fragmented

VvG stain
|

Congo red stain
|
Lymphocyte cell foci
Often contain smaller vessel with thin wall

Congo red stain
|

H&E stain
|

CD4 stain
|
Lymphocyte cell foci
Often contain CD4 cells

CD4 stain
|

CD8 stain
|
Lymphocyte cell foci
CD8 cells
Scattered within foci and in endomysium
Form small clusters

CD8 stain
|

CD8 stain
|

CD20 stain
|
Lymphocyte cell foci
CD20 cells
Scattered in endomysium
Form small clusters in perimysium

CD20 stain
|
Histiocytes

Acid phosphatase stain
|
Acid phosphatase+ histiocytes are
Scattered in: Endomysium & Perimysium
Associated with damaged muscle fibers

Acid phosphatase stain
|
Esterase+ histiocytes are
Scattered in: Endomysium & Perimysium

Esterase stain
|

CD163 stain
|
CD163+ histiocytes are
Scattered in: Endomysium & Perimysium

CD163 stain
|

HAM56 stain
|
HAM56+ histiocytes are
Scattered in: Endomysium & Perimysium

HAM56 stain
|

HAM56 stain
|

MxA stain
|
MxA stains
Endomysial cells
Muscle fiber cytoplasm: Scattered very small fibers

MxA stain
|

MxA stain
|
Capillary pathology

Alkaline phosphatase stain
|
Endomysial Capillaries
Increased staining by alkaline phosphatase
Muscle fibers
Cytoplasm of scattered very small, immature muscle fibers is stained by alkaline phosphatase

Alkaline phosphatase stain
|
Endomysial Capillaries
Size: Large
Number: Reduced; Scattered muscle fibers with no adjacent capillary

UEA1 stain
|

C5b-9 stain
|
C5b-9 stains
Endomysial connective tissue
Cytoplasm of rare necrotic muscle fiber (Below; Arrow)

C5b-9 stain
|

C5b-9 stain
|
Endomysial Connective Tissue
Increased between muscle fibers
Stains for decorin

Decorin stain
|

VvG stain
|
Muscle fibers
Sizes: Varied
MHC1: Difffusely upregulated by muscle fibers (Below)

MHC1 stain
|

MHC1 stain
|
Muscle fibers
Sizes: Varied
MHC1: Difffusely upregulated by muscle fibers (Below)
Inflammation
Many MHC1+ cells in endomysium & perimysium

MHC1 stain
|
Muscle Fibers

ATPase pH 9.4 stain
|
Muscle Fiber Types
No grouping
Many immature, intermediate-stained 2C fibers (Below)
Few pale type 2A Fibers (Below)

ATPase pH 4.3 stain
|

LC3 stain
|
Muscle Fibers: LC3 aggregates
Present in muscle fibers in some regins of muscle
LC3 in muscle fibers: Multiple punctate aggregates scattered through cytoplasm, or clustered in some regions

LC3 stain
|

LC3 stain
|
Muscle Fiber Internal Architecture
Coarse & Immature

NADH stain
|

COX stain
|
Muscle Fiber Internal Architecture
No definite mitochondrial pathology
COX stain is present in all muscle fibers
SDH stain is increased in some small fibers, possibly related to immaturity

SDH stain
|
Return to:
Mi-2 antibodies
Return to:
Neuromuscular Home Page
1/21/2025