HERG1 gene expression as a specific tumor marker in colorectal tissues.

Introduction: Colorectal carcinomas exhibit a frequent recurrence after curative surgery, which may partially be due to histopathologically inconspicuous minimal residual disease. Reliable markers for tumor cells in colorectal tissue are still missing. Therefore, in this study we compared the predictive value of the putative tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin-19 (CK19) and cytokeratin-20 (CK20) to that of a novel marker, the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG1) K(+) channel, a suggested regulator of tumor cell proliferation.

Immunocytological analysis of leukocyte subpopulations in urine specimens before and after prostatic massage.

Objective: To evaluate the presence of leukocyte subpopulations in urine after prostatic massage (VB 3) in symptomatic patients with > or =10 leukocytes/high power field (magnification x1,000) in expressed prostatic secretions, and who were classified as suffering from chronic bacterial prostatitis or inflammatory chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Methods: 115 consecutive patients were investigated. Granulocytes in centrifuged midstream urine (VB 2) and VB 3 were counted after Papanicolaou stain.

[Bone marrow granulomatosis in Q-fever].

Background: Petersdorf and Beeson defined Fever of Unknown Origin (FUO) as an illness characterized by rectal temperature exceeding 38.3 degrees C on at least 3 occasions, evolving during at least 3 weeks, with no diagnosis reached after 1 week of in-patient investigation. A quarter of FUO cases is caused by infectious diseases, most often hidden abscesses, subacute endocarditis and tuberculosis.

Nephron-sparing surgery for renal cell carcinoma--is tumor size a suitable parameter for indication?

Objectives: Because patients with small renal cell carcinomas (RCC) are being treated by nephron-sparing surgery with increased frequency, a generally accepted parameter giving additional information as to which kind of tumor is suitable for this treatment is urgently required.

Methods: In a retrospective analysis of 245 patients who underwent radical nephrectomy for RCC, we investigated whether tumor size could provide the necessary information. We analyzed the association of tumor size with pTNM classification, grade, and the findings of the flow cytometric analysis of the DNA content analyzing the DNA index (DI).

Expression of p16 and lack of pRB in primary small cell lung cancer.

The retinoblastoma protein (pRB), p16, and cyclin D1 are major components of the RB pathway, which controls the G1 checkpoint of the cell cycle. Proper regulation of this pathway is crucial for normal cell proliferation. Abnormal forms of these proteins have been found in various types of malignant tumours.

Immunoselection in vivo: independent loss of MHC class I and melanocyte differentiation antigen expression in metastatic melanoma.

Peptides derived from melanocyte differentiation antigens have been identified as targets for MHC class I-restricted cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in human melanoma Regression of antigen-expressing tumors as well as selection of antigen-loss variants in the presence of antigen-specific CTLs have previously been reported. In the present study, we determined the expression of the melanocyte differentiation antigens Melan A/MART-1 and tyrosinase by mRNA analysis and by immunohistochemical staining with the monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) A103 and T311. Co-expression of Melan A/MART-1 and tyrosinase was detected by both methods in 18/20 melanomas tested.

Applied Sciences: Absence of CD44-standard in human neuroblastoma correlates with histological dedifferentiation, N-myc amplification and reduced survival probability.

Expression of CD44 was examined by immunohistochemistry in 205 primary neuroblastomas together with histological grading according to the Shimada classification at the time of diagnosis. In addition, Southern blot analysis to determine N-myc gene amplification was carried out in the same tissue. When compared with clinical data such as stage, age and event-free survival probability it was found that CD44 expression characterizes well differentiated tumours and thus correlates with prognosis (event-free survival probability in CD44 positive patients 0.

Intermediate filaments in rat pancreatic acinar tumors, human ductal carcinomas, and other gastrointestinal malignancies.

Background/aims: Keratin is a member of the intermediate filament family in epithelial cells. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of different epithelial cells has shown 20 different keratin polypeptides. Therefore, mapping of the keratin polypeptides can be used to define a specific tissue.

[Three cases of a fulminant course of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (Hamman-Rich syndrome)].

The Hamman-Rich syndrome is defined as an acute pulmonary disease of unclear aetiology that takes a rapid and prognostically unfavourable, usually fatal course. We report on three patients admitted to the intensive-care ward during a period of 6 months in a state of mandatory artificial respiration, each patient dying within 3 weeks after admission. Basing on clinical and histological criteria these patients were diagnosed as suffering from Hamman-Rich syndrome.

Monoclonal antibodies against luminal membranes of renal proximal tubules which are kidney-specific.

After immunization with porcine brush-border membrane proteins, 11 monoclonal antibodies were generated which react with proximal tubules. Their antigenic polypeptides were characterized with respect to apparent molecular weight, histochemical localization in porcine and human kidney, and tissue distribution in pig. In porcine kidney, six antibodies bind selectively to the proximal tubule whereas the others also react with other nephron segments.

Expression of cell adhesion molecules alpha-2, alpha-5 and alpha-6 integrin, E-cadherin, N-CAM and CD-44 in renal cell carcinomas. An immunohistochemical study.

Renal cell carcinoma is known to metastasize early independent of tumour grade. Invasion of the renal vein plays an important role in the prognosis. Cell adhesion molecules have been investigated, including the expression of alpha-2, alpha-5, and alpha-6 integrin, E-cadherin, neural-cell adhesion molecule and CD-44 in 34 renal cell carcinomas, using the alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase technique.

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the spinal leptomeninges.

A case of leiomyosarcoma of the spinal leptomeninges is presented, with clinical, radiological, light microscopic and immunohistochemical data. The probable origin of the tumor from a pluripotent mesenchymal cell is discussed.

Translocation (5;22) in an Askin's tumor.

A boy with a brain metastasis of an Askin's tumor was investigated. Cytogenetic studies revealed a near-diploid karyotype with monosomies of chromosomes 5 and 22 in the presence of a derivative chromosome der(5)t(5;22)(q35;q11). In particular, no involvement of chromosome 11 was seen.

Cytokeratin expression in mucinous sweat gland carcinomas: an immunohistochemical analysis of four cases.

Four mucinous sweat gland carcinomas were examined for the distribution of cytokeratin (CK) polypeptides using immunohistochemical techniques on paraffin-embedded sections. All the tumour specimens reacted with monoclonal antibodies to CK 7, CK 8, CK 18 and CK 19. Antibodies to CK 1, CK 1/2/10/14, CK 1/5/10/11, CK 13, CK 14 and CK 20 did not stain any of the carcinomas.

Distribution of cytokeratin polypeptides in syringomas. An immunohistochemical study on paraffin-embedded material.

The distribution of cytokeratin (CK) polypeptides expressed in syringomas (12 cases) was compared with that in normal eccrine sweat ducts using immunohistochemical techniques on paraffin-embedded tissue. Intradermal and intraepidermal segments of the eccrine duct showed reactivity with an antibody to CK1/5/10/11 in all cell layers, whereas CK19 expression was restricted to the luminal cell layer. CK14 was expressed in all cells of the eccrine duct except for the peripheral cells of the intraepidermal duct.

Eccrine syringofibroadenoma: a case report with analysis of cytokeratin expression.

A 56-year-old man presented with a 30-year history of a slowly enlarging lesion on the sole of his right foot. A biopsy showed an anastomosing network of small cuboidal cells with the formation of occasional sweat ductal lumina and a marked fibrovascular stroma. The histological findings were interpreted as consistent with the diagnosis of an eccrine syringofibroadenoma.

A monoclonal antibody that recognizes a formalin-resistant epitope on the p 24 core protein of HIV-1.

A murine monoclonal antibody (called H-11) that binds to the p 24 core protein of HIV-1 was characterized by radioimmuno-precipitation, immunofluorescence, western blot assays, immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry. This antibody was found to be especially suited for demonstrating the presence of HIV-1 in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues.

[Eccrine poroma. A clinico-pathologic and immunohistologic study with special reference to tumor cell differentiation].

In this study 15 eccrine poromas were analysed clinically, histologically and immunohistologically. They were all solitary lesions, showing a predilection for the head and neck. In none of the tumours was diagnosis possible on the basis of clinical examination.

Unexpected immunoreactivities of intermediate filament antibodies in human brain and brain tumors.

Immunoreactivities of 35 different monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that detect intermediate filaments were studied systematically on serial cryostat sections of 14 well-defined human gliomas (five astrocytomas, three oligodendrogliomas, six glioblastomas) and on normal brain. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin, desmin, neurofilaments, and broad-specificity keratin MAbs, as well as MAbs that recognize several or only single keratin polypeptides, were used. Unexpected reactivities were surprisingly frequent.

Cytokeratin expression and vimentin content in large cell anaplastic lymphomas and other non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

The immunophenotypes of 74 malignant lymphomas (9 Hodgkin's disease, 19 low-grade B-cell, 20 high-grade B-cell, 8 T-cell, and 18 large cell anaplastic lymphomas [LCAL]) have been characterized with antibodies against leucocyte differentiation antigens, keratin, and vimentin. All the non-LCAL were CD45 positive and keratin negative. The LCALs had a more varied immunophenotype, with CD45 present only in 11 of 18 cases and keratin present in 5 of 18 of these rare lymphomas.

[Inflammatory fibroid polyp of the stomach as an unusual differential diagnosis of epigastric tumor].

We describe the case of a 5 months old infant with an inflammatory fibroid polyp of the stomach. The girl presented with inflammatory symptoms and a tumor in the upper abdomen which was confirmed by sonography and computer-tomography. This very rare benign tumor has not yet been described in an infant.

Basal cells of H-Dunning tumor are myoepithelial cells. A comparative immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study with male accessory sex glands and mammary gland.

Recent immunohistochemical studies have shown that basal cells in human prostatic epithelium are not myoepithelial cells. Since in the literature the Dunning tumor, originally described as a rat prostate carcinoma derived from the dorsolateral prostate of a Copenhagen rat, was reported to have myoepithelial cells, a comparative immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study was performed in the H-, HIF- and AT3-lines of the Dunning tumor, the male accessory sex glands (ventral, dorsal, lateral prostate, coagulating gland, bulbourethral gland) and the mammary gland of both Copenhagen and Wistar rats. Mono- and polyclonal antibodies directed against intermediate filament proteins (cytokeratin, desmin, vimentin) and the contractile proteins (alpha-actin, muscle type specific myosin, tropomyosin) were used along with phalloidin decoration of F-actin.

[The coexpression of keratin and vimentin in untreated squamous cell carcinoma of the ENT tract].

Forty-four untreated squamous-cell carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract were examined immunohistochemically with antibodies against keratin and vimentin. Surprisingly, in 18% of cases, a coexpression of both intermediate filaments was found both in undifferentiated carcinomas and in highly differentiated carcinomas, where it was only possible to observe this phenomenon in the basal cell layer. The tumor-biological relevance of these findings must be the subject of further investigations.

Some histopathologic aspects regarding onset of antirejection therapy after heart transplantation.

The histopathologic indication for starting antirejection therapy has so far been given by the diagnosis of moderate rejection in endomyocardial biopsies, that is, rejection with necroses of myocytes and predominantly lymphocytic infiltrates (corresponding to the descriptive diagnosis of moderate rejection in the Stanford classification, grade 4 and more in the Texas classification, and A-3 moderate rejection in the Hannover classification). Our present results, however, have shown that the critical limit for the onset of antirejection therapy may be fixed somewhat higher on the scale of severity of acute rejection and that it may be reasonable to define an affection of more than 20% of the total biopsy material by morphologic changes corresponding to the traditional definition of moderate acute rejection as the decisive histopathologic finding that should induce antirejection therapy. This means that the diagnosis of moderate rejection has to be divided into two groups: (1) A-3a moderate acute rejection not yet requiring therapy that, however, does necessitate bioptic control within 7 to 10 days; (2) A-3b moderate acute rejection requiring antirejection therapy.