Perforating Granuloma Annulare in a Patient With Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: Immunohistologic Evaluation of the Cellular Infiltrate

• The inflammatory infiltrate found in the lesions of perforating granuloma annulare in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was analyzed. Double labeling with fluorescent antibody tags fluorescein isothiocyanate—Leu 4 (peripheral T cells) and phycoerythrin-Leu 2a (cytotoxic/suppressor) revealed the infiltrate to consist predominantly of cytotoxic/suppressor T cells. This finding is a reflection of the patient's altered immune status and calls into question the role of specific T-cell subsets in the pathogenesis of granuloma annulare. ( Arch Dermatol 1987;123:1217-1220)