Expression of retinoblastoma and cyclin D1 in gastric carcinoma.

Abnormal regulation of the cell cycle is a feature of many neoplasms. The role of cell cycle regulators in oncogenesis has been investigated in many human tumors. Alteration of the retinoblastoma (pRb) and cyclin D1 disrupt the Rb pathway and occur in many carcinomas. However the expression of the Rb and cyclin D1 in intestinal type gastric carcinoma is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of Rb and cyclinD1 in resected gastric carcinoma, their adjacent nonneoplastic mucosa and normal gastric mucosa, and finally to provide insights into the role of the Rb and cyclin D1 in gastric carcinogenesis. We investigated Rb and cyclin D1 expression in 43 patients (32 men, 11 women; mean age: 64) with primary gastric adenocarcinoma and compared the results with adjacent nonneoplastic mucosa. Adjacent nonneoplastic mucosa consisted of atrophy, dysplasia, intestinal metaplasia and gastritis. Expression of Rb was detected in 30 (69.7%) of gastric carcinoma, 18 (41.8%) of the adjacent nonneoplastic mucosa. Expression of cyclinD1 protein was detected in 31 (72%) of gastric carcinoma, 24 (55.8%) of adjacent nonneoplastic mucosa. Expression of Rb and cyclinD1 was not detected in normal gastric mucosa. The positive rate of Rb and cyclin D1 expression in gastric carcinoma was significantly higher than that adjacent nonneoplastic mucosa (p<0.05). There were significant trends for increased expression of Rb and cyclinD1 from nonneoplastic mucosa including atrophy, dyplasia, intestinal metaplasia and gastritis to carcinoma. These results suggested that positive expression of pRb and cyclinD1 might be an early event in gastric carcinoma and it tend to begin at precursor lesions and maintain throughout the progression of infiltration. Key words: Retinoblastoma, cyclin D1, gastric carcinoma, dysplasia, atrophy, intestinal metaplasia.

Mullerian adenosarcoma of the uterus associated with tamoxifen therapy.

Mullerian adenosarcoma of the uterus is a biphasic tumor exhibiting benign epithelial and malignant stromal component. This tumor may occasionally be associated with tamoxifen therapy which is used as an adjuvant drug for breast carcinoma. Reviewing the literature, we found only 12 adenosarcoma cases associated with tamoxifen therapy Thus, the clinical and pathological findings in a 58 years old postmenopausal woman who developed uterine adenosarcoma, following low dose tamoxifen therapy after 8 years, was discussed in this report.

Relationship between FIGO grade and AgNOR, S100-positive langerhans cells in endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Cell kinetic information is an important adjuvant to histological grading in some malignant tumors. In the current study, 20 endometrial adenocarcinomas were graded according to the 1988 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and nuclear grading system and the expression of silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) and S100-positive Langerhans cells were determined. According to the FIGO grade, eight patients were in grade 1, seven were in grade 2 and five were in grade 3. Nuclear grade 1, 2 and 3 was determined in six, eight and six cases, respectively. Although an overlap was seen in some grade 2 and 3 cases, AgNOR counts were the highest in grade 3. S100-positive Langerhans cells were depleted when the grades elevated. It is concluded that AgNOR and Langerhans cells can be correlated with grades. Further studies, including survival data of the patients, could be performed and AgNOR and Langerhans cells can be correlated with prognosis.

Adverse effects of topical antiglaucoma drugs on the ocular surface.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine the effect of long-term antiglaucoma topical medication on the ocular surface; measuring basal Schirmer's and tear break-up time tests using conjunctival impression cytology. METHODS: The ocular surfaces of 30 control subjects (group 1), 24 primary open-angle glaucoma patients treated with 0.5% betaxolol hydrochloride (group 2), 27 primary open-angle glaucoma patients treated with 0.5% timolol maleate (group 3) and 26 primary open-angle glaucoma patients treated with 0.5% betaxolol and 1% dipivefrin hydrochloride (group 4) were evaluated. Basal Schirmer's and tear break-up time tests were measured and ocular surface changes were determined by impression cytology. Impression cytology specimens of each group were graded and scored in the range 0-3 according to Nelson's method. RESULTS: Patients in groups 2, 3 and 4 showed statistically significant fewer normal basal Schirmer's tests (wettability) and tear break-up time tests (P < 0.01). Also, the conjunctival impression cytology scores were significantly higher in groups 2, 3 and 4 than in group 1 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The conclusion was that it is possible that conjunctival surface and tear film function change after the long-term use of antiglaucoma medication.

Effect of conjunctival structure and inflammatory cell counts on intraocular pressure after trabeculectomy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the conjunctival structure and inflammatory cell counts and to determine the predictive value of these histological parameters for postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) levels after trabeculectomy. METHODS: A clinical and histological study was performed on consecutive patients. Postoperative (mean 32. 8 +/- 18.4 months; range 6-60 months) conjunctival biopsies of 36 eyes of 28 primary open-angle glaucoma patients who had trabeculectomy between 1992 and 1995 were included in the study. According to postoperative pressure control, patients with < or = 16 mm Hg and those with >16 mm Hg were taken as groups 1 and 2, respectively. The control group (group 3) consisted of 15 age-matched patients without glaucoma, who had received no topical therapy. We compared the conjunctival structure and cell counts within these groups. Goblet cells, acute inflammatory cells, chronic inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, epithelial thickness, vascular density, mucopolysaccharides and collagen compositions were determined in groups 1, 2 and 3. RESULTS: The number of goblet cells was significantly higher in group 1 (6.74 +/- 7.23) than group 2 (3. 09 +/- 2.77; p = 0.017). No statistical difference was observed in the number of acute inflammatory cells, chronic inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, epithelial thickness, vascular density, mucopolysaccharide or collagen compositions between groups 1 and 2 (p > 0.05). In addition, when groups 1 and 2 were compared with the control group, there was a significant decrease in goblet cells (p < 0.001), an increase in acute inflammatory cells, chronic inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, epithelial thickness and vascular density (p < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in mucopolysaccharide and collagen compositions (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that at the time of surgery a high number of goblet cells may be a predictor of lowered IOP (< or = 16 mm Hg) following trabeculectomy without antimetabolite.

Utility of CD15, CD30 & CD45 in the immunohistochemical diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease by antigen retrieval method.

The utility of staining Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells with CD30, CD15 and CD45 as a diagnostic aid in Hodgkin's disease (HD) and the value of microwave citrate antigen retrieval (AR) method in improving the results of immunohistochemical (IHC) studies were evaluated. Histological and immunohistological studies were carried out on 21 patients with HD seen from January 1987 to December 1996 in the Pathology Department of the Cumhuriyet University, School of Medicine. Avidin biotin peroxidase complex (ABC) was used in IHC study as a method for detection of RS cells. Monoclonal antibodies CD30, CD15 and CD45 were applied on formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections. In order to enhance the immunoreactivity, microwave citrate AR method and proteolytic pretreatment were used. The reactivity of RS cells and staining patterns were determined. In 14 (70%) of the 20 patients, RS cells stained positively with CD30, in 16 (80%) CD15 staining was positive and only 1 (5%) was positively stained with CD45. A combination of cytoplasmic with cell surface staining was common with CD30, while paranuclear deposit with cell surface and cytoplasmic staining was common with CD15. In conclusion, to facilitate the detection of RS cells in formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues, the application of a panel of markers appears to be necessary. Also AR method seems to be helpful in obtaining optimal results on formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue.