IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY ON S100 PROTEIN-POSITIVE DENDRITIC CELLS IN PATIENTS WITH GASTRIC CARCINOMA

The density of dendritic cells (DC) and macro-phages (Mφ) in tissue specimens of gastric carcinoma (GC n=65) was investigated by ABC im-munohistochemical method using anti-S100 protein and anti-lysozyme antibodies, and was compared with that in gastric ulcer (GU n=19), chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG n=28) and normal gastric mucosa (NGM n=15). The mean density if DC (cells/mm2) in GC (15.0 was significantly higher than that in NGM (3.8) and GU (8.3), but was remarkably lower when compared to that in CAG (29.5) (P<0.01). Statistically significant difference in the population density of DC was observed between well- and poorly-differentiated GC (P<0.01). With their unique dendritic processes, DC were mainly concentrated within dense lymphoid infiltrates or in the T-area of reactive lymphoid follicles and were interspersed among the tumor cells. In contrast, Mφ were present around the necrotic foci and were rarely seen within the non-necrotic neoplastic tissues. These data suggest that DC, which differ in morphology, distribution, number and function form Mφ may be more directly involved in the host immune reaction against tumor by acting as antigen presenting cells.

IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF ALPHA-1-ANTICHYMOTRYPSIN IN GLIOMA

GFAP is a specific antigen of glial element, but Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin has not been reported in the literature. Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin was guided by GFAP using PAP method to the astrocytes of 137 gliomas. 120 (87%) gliomas were positive for Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin. Of these 120 gliomas, 86 (72%) gave diffuse distribution, 17 (14%) gave focal distribution, and 17 (14%) gave scattered distributions. Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin in glioma tissue may be an important tumor marker for diagnosis.

HISTOCHEMICAL AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF EXTRAMAMMARY PACET'S DISEASE

The histogensis of extramammary Paget's disease has not been solved and remained controversial. Eight cases of extramammary Paget's disease of geni-tocrural region were investigated by alcian blue and PAS stain and immunoreaction of anti-CEA and anti-keratin. It was found that the pattern and intensity of alcian blue, PAS staining were identical for Paget cells and secretory cells of apocrine sweat gland; and CEA immunoreactivity was uniformly observed in both Paget cells and eccrine sweat gland. The keratin immunoreaction was positive in keratinocytes, apocrine and eccrine sweat gland, whereas Paget cells were negative. These results suggested that Paget cells of extramammary Paget's disease could be derived from multipotential epidermal germ cells.

IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN IN THE TRANSITIONAL MUCOSA ADJACENT TO COLORECTAL CANCER

A combined histopathological, mucin histochemi-cal and immunohistochemical study of the transitional mucosa (TM) adjacent to colorectal cancer is presented. Twenty-six resected specimens were studied by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and high iron diamine-alcian blue (HID-AB). Carcinoem-bryonic antigen (CEA) was demonstrated by peroxi-dase antiperoxidass (PAP) technique. The appearance of the TM is usually thicker, longer and dilated crypts with increased immature and intermediate cells. Variable amount of sialomucins and decrease sulphomucins content as well as increased CEA content are found in the TM. These changes are not seen in non-transitional zone and normal colorectal mucosa. It is suggested that the mucin changes and expression of CEA in the TM may indicate an early primary premalignant changes and may be one of the reasons for the TM affecting the prognosis of patients with large bowel cancer after radical resection.

Immunohistochemical measurement and expression of Mcl-1 in infertile testes

The diagnosis of azoospermia represents a major challenge to andrologists as this condition may occur despite normal spermatogenesis and genital tracts. Myeloid cell leukemia-1 （Mcl-1） is a member of the Bcl-2 family of proteins involved in regulation of apoptosis in various cell types. This study aimed to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of McI-1 in testieular biopsies of subjects with azoospermia. Eighty-six cases with azoospermia were obtained from 509 infertile patients admitted to the Andrology Unit of the Zagazig University Hospitals from January 2010 to December 2011. Biopsies were diagnosed and classified using H＆E-stained slide sections. The specimens were subjected to immunohistochemical staining for Mcl-1 and examined through light microscopy. Forty-five cases of maturation arrest （25 at spermatids and 20 at the spermatocytes）, 31 cases of hypospermatogenesis （20 moderate and 11 severe）, 5 cases of Sertoli cell-only syndrome, 2 cases of basement membrane hyalinization, and 1 case of tubular and peritubular sclerosis were observed. Normal spermatogenesis was detected in 2 cases. A strong positive immunoreaction in Leydig cells was observed among all investigated specimens. A moderate reaction was detected in spermatocytes and spermatozoa in cases of normal spermatogenesis and hypospermatogenesis, but a negative reaction was detected in cases of maturation arrest and germ cell aplasia. Apoptosis was found to be associated with decreased rate of spermatogenesis. High apoptosis rates may result in azoospermia, which can occur despite normal spermatogenesis and absence of duct obstruction.

Histochemical and immunohistochemical studies of distribution of acetylcholinesterase-positive fibers and peptidergic terminals in the nasal mucosa of rats

Objective To further investigate the mechanism of nasal secretion closely related to the innervation patterns in nasal mucosa with emphasis on the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) positive fibers and peptidergic terminals in nasal mucosa as well as trigeminal ganglion (TG) cells. Methods Histochemical demonstration of AChE positive fibers, immunohistochemical study of the distribution patterns of multiple peptidergic terminals, double labelling of AChE and substance P (SP) and somatostatin (SOM) mRNA in situ hybridization were carried out in nasal mucosa and trigeminal ganglion (TG) in rats. Results AChE positive terminals were mainly distributed in the mid to posterior one third of septal nasal mucosa, with greater staining density on the walls of small vessels and glands. There were fewer such terminals in turbinate mucosa. Tachykinins ergic terminals, including substance P(SP) , neurokinin A (NKA) , neurokinin B(NKB) and calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) ergic terminals, had an extensive localizations in nasal mucosa, involving the following areas: between epithelial cells, submucosa, the walls of small vessels, glands and venous sinusoids in both septal and turbinate nasal mucosa. Septal mucosa had the greater density. There were overlaps in the distribution of these peptidergic terminals. There were also vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) , neuropeptide Y (NPY) and galanin (GAL) ergic terminals in nasal mucosa. But no neurotensin (NT) and somatostatin (SOM) ergic terminals were found. In situ hybridization revealed SOMmRNA expression in TG cells. AChE and nine neuropeptides existed in the cytoplasms of TG cells. Besides, AChE and SP could exist simultaneously in cytoplasms of TG cells. Conclusions AChE positive (corresponding to parasympathetic nerves) and peptidergic terminals have different distribution patterns in the nasal mucosa of rats, although an overlap does exist, indicative of their different physiological effects on the regulation of nasal secretion and other functions; AChE and multiple neuropeptides in the cytoplasm of TG cells might play a role in modulating the nasal secretion in response to stimuli in the nasal mucosa.