bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Apoptosis is inversely related to bcl‐2 but not to bax expression in salivary gland tumours
Authors: Soini  , TÖrmÄnen  , PÄÄkkÖ  
Published: March 2003

Aims:We investigated the extent of apoptosis in 55 benign and malignant salivary gland tumours and its association with the immunohistochemical expression of bcl‐2 and bax.Methods and results:Apoptosis was detected in histological sections by the 3′‐end DNA labelling method. bcl‐2 and bax protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. The frequency of apoptosis was clearly higher in malignant than in benign tumours. In pleomorphic adenomas and Warthin's tumours the average apoptotic index was 0.01% (range 0.00–0.07%) while in the malignant salivary gland tumours it was 0.42% (range 0.00–1.75%). Immunohistochemical bcl‐2 expression was observed in all pleomorphic adenomas and Warthin's tumours and in most cases the expression was strong. In malignant tumours, 9/25 cases showed no expression and in the rest of the cases, apart from adenoid cystic carcinomas, the bcl‐2 expression was often weak. There were significantly more cases with no or weak bcl‐2 positivity in malignant than in benign salivary gland tumours (P = 0.001). There was a statistically significant association between a weak bcl‐2 expression and a high frequency of apoptosis (P = 0.02). In contrast to bcl‐2, strong bax expression was found in both benign and malignant tumours and was not associated with the frequency of apoptosis.Conclusions:The low bcl‐2 expression in malignant tumours suggests that down‐regulation of its expression might contribute to their higher frequency of apoptosis.
Anaplastic large cell malignant lymphoma with extensive eosinophilic or neutrophilic infiltration
Authors: Mccluggage  , Walsh  , Bharucha  
Published: March 2003

Aims:We describe the clinicopathological features of eight cases of Ki‐1 positive anaplastic large cell malignant lymphoma (Ki‐1 ALCL) in which there was extensive infiltration by eosinophils and/or neutrophils in the absence of necrosis.Methods and results:The patients comprised four males and four females with an age range of 24–74 years. Five cases had originally been diagnosed as Hodgkin's disease and one as true histiocytic lymphoma. In all cases, there was massive infiltration by eosinophils and/or neutrophils sometimes to such an extent that malignant cells were obscured. Immunohistochemical staining was performed using the monoclonal antibodies CD30, CD15, CD45, CD20, CD3, CD45RO, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), CAM5.2, vimentin and CD68. In all cases, tumour cells were strongly positive for CD30 but negative for CD15. One case was positive for CD45 but none expressed B or T‐cell markers. Five cases were positive for vimentin and two for EMA. Three of seven patients in whom adequate clinical details were available had stage III or IV disease at presentation and four exhibited B symptoms. Four patients had a peripheral neutrophilia and one a peripheral eosinophilia.Conclusions:The study shows that an eosinophil and/or neutrophil‐rich variant of Ki‐1 ALCL exists, expanding the morphological spectrum of this tumour.
Fatal pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma with meningeal gliomatosis
Authors: Leonard  , Alcutt  , Farrell  
Published: March 2003

Aims:To report the previously undescribed phenomenon of extensive meningeal gliomatosis in a pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) and to examine possible prognostic features.Case details:An 11‐year‐old girl underwent excision of a left temporoparietal pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma and 8 months later underwent re‐excision of a local tumour recurrence. Although mitoses were not present in any of the resection specimens, the development of necrosis and increased immunoreactivity for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) indicated anaplastic transformation in the recurrent tumour. Three months later, extensive meningeal gliomatosis with minimal local recurrence resulted in death.Conclusions:Subarachnoid dissemination of a locally recurrent PXA in the absence of mitotic activity is an extremely unusual occurrence. PCNA expression in the initial excision specimens did not predict subsequent anaplastic transformation.
A marginal zone pattern may be found in different varieties of non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma: the morphology and immunohistology of splenic involvement by B‐cell lymphomas simulating splenic marginal zone lymphoma
Authors: Piris M A , Mollejo M , Campo E , Menárguez J , Flores T , Isaacson P G 
Published: March 2003

Aims: Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) is characterized by a micronodular infiltrate of the splenic white pulp, centred on pre‐existing follicles, with a peripheral rim of ‘marginal’ zone B‐cells, always accompanied by a variable degree of red pulp infiltration. These histological features can be closely mimicked by a variety of other small B‐cell lymphomas when they involve the spleen, which makes recognition of SMZL difficult. We therefore have compared the histopathological and immunohistochemical features of other non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) types with those of SMZL.Methods and resultsWe selected cases of splenic involvement by different types of B‐cell lymphoma, including mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), immunocytoma (IM) and lymphocytic lymphoma (B‐CLL). A micronodular pattern and marginal zone differentiation were both found to be frequently present in FL and MCL, and with lesser frequency in IM and B‐CLL. The main morphological feature useful for differential diagnosis was the cytological composition of the white pulp tumoral nodules. SMZL is distinguished by characteristic dimorphic cytology, different from the monomorphic cytology of MCL, and the distinctive mixture of centroblasts and centrocytes which is the rule in FL. B‐CLL could also be identified on the basis of the polymorphic cytology including small lymphocytes and prolymphocytes, whereas cases diagnosed as IM show prominent plasmacytic differentiation, lacking the features of the other lymphoma types. Immunohistochemistry was particularly useful for the differential diagnosis. Thus the recognition of MCL was facilitated by the identification of cyclin D1 and CD43 reactivity, while FL could be recognized by the lack of IgD expression or the distinctive pattern of Ki67 staining found in SMZL. B‐CLL cells were CD23 + , CD43 +.ConclusionThe results of this study provide morphological and immunohistological information useful in the recognition of the different varieties of NHLs when involving the spleen and the differential diagnosis of SMZL.
High mitotic index associated with poor prognosis in gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumour
Authors: Tornóczky T , Kálmán E , Hegedûs G , Horváth Ö P , Sápi Z , Antal L , Jáksó P , Pajor L 
Published: March 2003

AimsThree gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumours (GANT) were characterized by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Two of the three cases occurred in the small intestine, while the third was found in the stomach. Besides the immunohistochemical and ultrastructural description, the aim of this study was to examine the relation between the known and accepted predictive factors (ploidy data, the S‐phase fraction, the mitotic and MIB‐1 index and the size of the tumour) and the survival of the patients.Methods and resultsThe immune profile showed that 3/3 cases were vimentin and NSE, 2/3 were synap‐tophysin and PGP 9.5 positive, while 1/3 also showed S100 positivity. Ultrastructurally, all the cases had dense core granules, one of them contained skenoid fibres. The flow cytometry revealed diploid DNA in all cases, however, significant differences could be seen in the proliferative activity of the individual neoplasms.ConclusionsIn spite of the published data of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) generally, neither the MIB‐1 index and the ploidy data nor the size of the primary tumour helped to predict the clinical progression of the examined GANTs. However, the high proliferative activity (57 mitoses/10 HPF) and the elevated S‐phase fraction (24%) was associated with advanced, metastatic and recurring disease in case 3. On the basis of these three cases, high mitotic activity is the most reliable factor in predicting aggressive clinical behaviour.
Low‐grade metaplastic carcinoma of the thymus
Authors: Yoneda S , Marx A , Heimann S , Shirakusa T , Kikuchi M , Müller‐Hermelink H K 
Published: March 2003

AimsFive cases of a characteristic low‐grade thymic epithelial tumour are described that we suggest calling metaplastic carcinoma of the thymus.Methods and resultsThe patients' ages ranged from 44 to 71 (mean 56.2) years. Four of the patients were male. Three of five tumours showed invasion into mediastinal fat or pleura but, otherwise, all were well circumscribed. No metastases were present. Histologically, the tumours showed a biphasic pattern with solid carcinomatous areas merging gradually with a spindle cell component. Lymphocytes were rare. Cytological atypia and mitotic activity were variable in the solid areas, but slight or absent in the spindle cell component. On immunohistochemistry, the tumours showed expression of cytokeratin, vimentin and/or epithelial membrane antigen, both in the carcinomatous and spindle cell components. In two cases, actin expression was also present in both components. In one case, chromogranin, S100 protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein and neuron‐specific enolase were expressed in at least some cells of both components. None of the patients had myasthenia gravis. All patients are alive without evidence of recurrence or metastasis.ConclusionMetaplastic carcinoma of the thymus is a distinct clinicopathological entity that should be distinguished from the usually benign medullary thymomas and from the clinically aggressive carcinosarcomas and sarcomatoid carcinomas.
Malignant myoepithelioma of the vulva resembling a rhabdoid tumour
Authors: Hinze P , Feyler S , Berndt J , Knolle J , Katenkamp D 
Published: March 2003

AimsWe report an example of malignant myoepithelioma of the vulva, which has not been hitherto described. We discuss the differential diagnosis and briefly review the literature.Methods and resultsThe lesion was found in an 81‐year‐old woman as an indolent 40 mm tumour. The neoplastic cells showed a myoid, spindled, epithelioid and plasmacytoid phenotype. Hyalinization of extracellular material and myxoid changes were present. There was a partly solid and microcystic pattern and a tight cohesiveness of cells was lacking. The circumscribed multinodular tumour somewhat resembled an extrarenal rhabdoid tumour, having large tumour cells with prominent nucleoli and large amounts of acidophilic cytoplasm. Immunohistochemically, the tumour cells were immunoreactive for cytokeratin, vimentin, muscle‐specific actin, alpha‐smooth muscle actin, and S100 protein, but not for desmin, epithelial membrane antigen, factor VIII‐related antigen, CD34 and CD31.ConclusionsThe histological and cytomorphological appearance of the tumour well as the immunohistochemical findings suggest the diagnosis of malignant myoepithelioma, possibly derived from minor vestibulary glands or ectopic breast tissue. Differential diagnoses are, in particular, extrarenal rhabdoid tumour and ‘proximal type’ epithelioid sarcoma. Differentiation is important, because the tumours show a different behaviour and prognosis.
CD44v6 expression in inflammatory bowel disease is associated with activity detected by endoscopy and pathological features
Authors: Camacho F I , Muñoz C , Sánchez‐Verde L , Sáez A I , Alcántara M , Rodríguez R 
Published: March 2003

AimsOverexpression of CD44v6 in colon crypt epithelial cells has been suggested to have diagnostic potential in differentiating ulcerative colitis from other forms of colon inflammation, including Crohn's disease. Our aim was to determine the value of CD44v6 expression in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to look for possible associations between CD44v6 expression and activity of this disease.Methods and resultsCD44v6 expression was studied using immunohistochemical techniques in 100 surgical and endoscopic colon samples of ulcerative colitis (n = 71) and Crohn's disease (n = 29), and in every case disease activity was studied by endoscopy and microscopic examination. Fifty‐five of 71 (77.5%) samples of ulcerative colitis showed monoclonal antibody 2F10 stained colon epithelium, as did 16 of 29 (55.2%) samples of Crohn's disease. CD44v6 was detected in 88.2% (15 of 17) of cases of IBD with severe disease activity and in 100% of eight cases of severe ulcerative colitis. Our study showed a strong association between CD44v6 expression and the activity of IBD (P = 0.007).ConclusionsCD44v6 expression in IBD is significantly associated with activity detected by means of endoscopy and pathological features. Our data suggest that CD44v6 expression may have some usefulness in conjunction with other factors as a means of evaluating the disease activity. Moreover, CD44v6 expression was higher in ulcerative colitis than Crohn's disease (P = 0.02), although this does not confirm the utility of monoclonal antibody 2F10 in differential diagnosis between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, as there was a notable percentage of positive samples of Crohn's disease.
Inflammatory aetiology of primary oesophageal achalasia: an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study of Auerbach's plexus
Authors: Raymond  , Lach  , Shamji  
Published: March 2003

AimAchalasia is a disease of the oesophagus characterized by increased lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) tone, absence of LOS relaxation with swallowing and aperistalsis of the body of the oesophagus. The aetiology and pathogenesis of idiopathic achalasia is still controversial.Methods and resultsWe examined 16 oesophageal biopsies and one low oesophagectomy specimen from patients with achalasia. The control group was composed of five autopsy cases with no history of oesophageal disorders, three cases of diffuse oesophageal spasm, one of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease and one patient with oesophageal carcinoma. Sections were immunostained for neurofilaments NF70 and NF200, S100 protein and neurone‐specific enolase. Biopsies with inflammatory infiltrates, were in addition immunostained with antibodies against leucocyte common antigen as well as for CD20, CD43, CD68 and CD45RO. All biopsies were examined after plastic embedding, and electron microscopy (EM) was performed on samples containing autonomic plexus. An inflammatory infiltrate of varying intensity was present along the nerve fascicles and around ganglion cells in 90% of the cases of achalasia. T‐lymphocytes predominated in all these cases. The autonomic nerves showed loss of fibres and degenerative changes which were discernible only by EM. Although there was no convincing neuronal loss or signs of active neuronal degeneration in biopsied cases, the oesophagectomy specimen revealed total absence of neurones and significant loss of nerve fibres. The control group showed normal plexuses and no inflammation.ConclusionDegeneration and significant loss of nerve fibres associated with predominant T‐cell lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate around the myenteric plexus support the concept for the inflammatory, probably autoimmune, aetiology of autonomic nervous system injury in primary achalasia.
CD101 expression by Langerhans cell histiocytosis cells
Authors: Bouloc  , Boulland  , Geissmann  , Fraitag  , Andry  , Teillac  , Bensussan  , Revuz  , Boumsell  , Wechsler  , Bagot  
Published: March 2003

AimsOur objective was to study the expression of a recently identified cell surface molecule, CD101 and in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) patients as CD101 has been shown to be present on dendritic cells. We wanted to determine if CD101 expression could be helpful for the diagnosis of LCH in conjunction with other markers (CD1a, S100 protein), and could be predictive of the evolution and dissemination of the disease.Methods and resultsThe expression of CD101 was studied by immunohistochemical technique in 11 cases of Langerhans cell histiocytosis on frozen sections. The expression of CD101 was positive in nine cases, high in six cases and low in three cases. There was no expression in the other two cases. No correlation with the evolution, the localization or the dissemination of the disease could be evidenced.ConclusionsCD101 is a new phenotypic marker that might be useful in combination with other markers for the diagnosis of LCH. However, as the anti‐CD101 antibody works only in frozen sections, its value is limited compared to anti‐CD1a antibody.
Lymphoproliferative disorders in children with primary immunodeficiencies: immunological status may be more predictive of the outcome than other criteria
Authors: Canioni D , Jabado N , MacIntyre E , Patey N , Emile J F , Brousse N 
Published: March 2003

Aims:Lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) are a severe complication in primary immunodeficiency and post‐transplant patients. In primary immunodeficiency patients, LPDs are not well‐known and, thus, we tried to evaluate their distinctive features and to determine prognostic factors predictive of clinical outcome by comparison with LPDs in post‐transplant children.Methods and results:Clinical records and histopathology of 18 LPDs occurring in primary immunodeficieny children were compared with those of 10 LPDs in post‐transplant children, together with results of in‐situ hybridization for the detection of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)‐RNA and molecular biological techniques. LPDs were frequently extranodal, EBV‐associated, and were more commonly pleomorphic in primary immunodeficiency than in post‐transplant patients. A low T‐cell count and abnormal T‐cell function indicated bad prognosis in both groups. Polymorphic LPDs (PLPDs) were most frequent (n = 19), whereas lymphomas were rare (n = 7), and pseudo‐tumoral lymphoid hyperplasias (n = 2) were observed only in primary immunodeficiency. Comparative p53/bcl‐2 staining revealed a p53 overexpression in lymphomas compared with PLPDs; CD20/CD79a showed a similar staining in lymphomas, whereas PLPD expressed mainly CD20. TCR and IgH rearrangements did not help in distinguishing PLPDs from lymphomas, but detection of IgH clonality by Southern blot indicated poor prognosis, whereas oligoclonality by Southern blot regardless of PCR clonality and especially a polyclonal profile by Southern blot and PCR indicated a relatively good prognosis.Conclusions:This study documents the pleomorphism of LPDs in primary immunodeficiency compared to post‐transplant children, even if some LPDs are similar in both groups (PLPDs). No criteria are useful enough to ascertain the diagnosis of malignancy in this series. Some molecular biological criteria help to predict the clinical outcome which, nevertheless, seems to depend more on the degree of immunosuppression and on T‐lymphocyte presence and function.
Estimation of age of human cadavers by immunohistochemical assessment of advanced glycation end products in the hippocampus
Authors: Sato Y , Kondo T , Ohshima T 
Published: March 2003

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are known to accumulate in long‐lived tissue proteins during normal ageing. In this study, we examined the expression of AGEs in human hippocampus using immunohistochemistry and determined its utility for estimating the age of cadavers of unknown age.Hippocampus tissues were obtained at autopsy from 31 individuals, including 10 fire victims, aged 0–96 years within 3 days postmortem. Immunostaining using anti‐AGE antibody demonstrated that the perikarya of pyramidal neurones in the hippocampus was immunoreactive for the anti‐AGE antibody, and the immunoreactivity was increased with age. Quantitative analysis of the AGE‐immunoreactivity in the pyramidal neurones of the CA4 region revealed a significant correlation between the AGE‐immunoreactivity and the age in nonfire death cases with a correlation coefficient of 0.91 (P < 0.01). The significant correlation could be obtained even in fire death cases affected by the unusual environmental condition.These results suggest that the immunohistochemical analysis of AGEs in human hippocampus may be useful for the age estimation of cadavers with unknown age.
High expression of MDR‐1 gene and P‐glycoprotein in initial and re‐biopsy specimens of relapsed B‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Liu Q , Ohshima K , Kikuchi M 
Published: March 2003

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major obstacle in the treatment of lymphoma. The expression of MDR‐1 mRNA and P‐glycoprotein (MDR‐1/P‐gp) has been linked to MDR. We aimed to investigate the expression of MDR‐1/P‐gp in B‐cell lymphoma.Samples at diagnosis and relapse from 10 patients with B‐cell lymphoma were obtained. We also obtained 14 unselected control cases of B‐cell lymphoma at diagnosis. The expression of mRNA and protein were determined semiquantitatively by RT‐PCR and immunohistochemistry. High MDR‐1 and P‐gp expressions were found in seven and seven of 10 samples obtained at diagnosis, eight and eight of 10 samples obtained at relapse, and three and four of 14 control cases at diagnosis, respectively. The results of RT‐PCR paralleled those of immunohistochemistry. Concordance of high MDR‐1/P‐gp expression was noted in 27 of 34 samples (r = 0.73, P = 0.001). There were no significant changes in MDR‐1/P‐gp expression in all cases at relapse and during the clinical course following chemotherapy. In the 14 control cases, the average survival time was 12.7 months in MDR‐1/P‐gp positive cases and 29.0 months in the MDR‐1/P‐gp negative cases (P = 0.20).Our results showed that at least some B‐cell lymphomas express MDR‐1/P‐gp, which could be detected by different methods, and suggested that high MDR‐1/P‐gp expression in tumour cells may be associated with a high probability of relapse and poor prognosis.
Female adnexal tumours of probable Wolffian origin: an immunohistochemical study comparing tumours, mesonephric remnants and paramesonephric derivatives
Authors: Tiltman A J , Allard U 
Published: March 2003

To establish an immunohistochemical profile of presumed female adnexal mesonephric tumours (FATWO) for diagnostic purposes and to compare the findings with those of mesonephric and paramesonephric derivatives in order to establish supportive evidence for a mesonephric origin.Standard immunohistochemistry was performed on formalin‐fixed tissues. Tumours, mesonephric remnants and paramesonephric structures generally show positive staining for vimentin, CAM 5.2 and cytokeratins 7 and 19 but are negative for CK20 and 34βE12. EMA is positive in both mesonephric and paramesonephric derivatives but is negative in the tumours. Glutathione S‐transferase μ (GSTµ) is generally positive in both tumours and mesonephric derivatives but negative in paramesonephric structures.Immunohistochemistry plays little part in the diagnosis of FATWO. The tumours are generally cytokeratin and vimentin‐positive and EMA‐negative. GSTµ, as a marker for the mesonephric duct, is a useful adjunct. Our findings of the study support but do not prove that FATWOs are of mesonephric origin.