Immunohistochemical expression of vimentin and secretory component antigens in endometrial hyperplasia and neoplasia.

Vimentin is an intermediate filament protein normally expressed in mesenchymal cells, but evidence is accumulating in the literature which suggests that the aberrant expression of vimentin in epithelial cancer cells might be related to local invasiveness and metastatic potential. Previous studies strongly support the implication of vimentin in the metastatic progression of breast and cervical lesions. The secretory component is isolated from human colostrum and is of help in more precise grading of endometrial carcinoma. In this study we examined vimentin and secretory component (SC) expression in adenomatous hyperplasia, atypical adenomatous hyperplasia and well-differentiated adenocarcinoma (cribriform pattern). The results showed decreased expression of vimentin and increased expression of the secretory component as the lesion progressed to malignancy.

Gains and losses of glycoprotein CD44 and secretory component expression in endometrial hyperplasia and neoplasia.

CD44 is an adhesion molecule, which binds hyaluronic acid and participates in a number of cell-cell interactions, including lymphocyte homing. The CD44 antigen is expressed on approximately 90% of lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, and, in lower amounts on thymocytes, fibroblasts, and erythrocytes. Platelets lack CD44. In non-haematopoietic tissues, CD44 is widely distributed. The secretory component is isolated from human colostrum and is of help in more precise grading of endometrial carcinoma. In this study we examined CD44 and secretory component expression in adenomatous hyperplasia, atypical adenomatous hyperplasia and well-differentiated adenocarcinoma (cribriform pattern). The results showed decreased expression of CD44 and increased expression of secretory component as the lesion progressed to malignancy.

A quantitative study of collagen production by human smooth muscle cells during intestinal morphogenesis.

Differentiating mesenchymal cells and the extracellular matrix that these cells produce constitute the structural basis for developing organs. The splanchnopleuric mesenchyme surrounding the developing gut and respiratory tubes provides connective tissue cells to the lamina propria/submucosa and smooth muscle cells to the muscularis musosae/muscularis externa. In human fetal intestine, the identity of the matrix-producing cell or cells has begun to be elucidated. The smooth muscle cell is one of the sources of collagen fibers in the extracellular matrix in the developing human fetal intestine and collagen production is a significant function of smooth muscle cells during intestinal organogenesis. The aim of the current study was the quantitative investigation of collagen production by human fetal intestinal smooth muscle cells in various stages of development (10 to 23 weeks of gestational age). Identification of the mesenchymal cells/extracellular matrix was confirmed by immunohistochemical techniques using the following monoclonal antibodies: actin, desmin, vimentin, collagen IV and fibronectin. Histochemical stains for the presence of extracellular matrix components were also performed. Immunohistochemical analysis and the results of the histochemistry of the fetal human intestine in various stages of development revealed that the muscle cells of the muscularis externa contribute to the production of collagen in collaboration with the mesenchymal cells. This is more evident between 10 to 14 weeks of gestational age.

Gains and losses of CD8, CD20 and CD56 expression in tumor stroma-infiltrating lymphocytes compared with tumor-associated lymphocytes from ascitic fluid and lymphocytes from tumor draining lymph nodes in serous papillary ovarian carcinoma patients.

Serous papillary ovarian cancer (SPC) is a highly aggressive tumor. About two-thirds of women have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. Although many women with disseminated disease respond at first to combinations of surgery and chemotherapy, nearly 90% of tumors recur and women die of disease. Update progress in our knowledge of tumor-associated antigens and insight into mechanisms involved in immune-mediated recognition of these antigens, have provided a strong starting point for using the immune system as a model for novel therapy. In this study we determined the immunological profile of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), tumor-associated lymphocytes (TALs) in ascitic fluids, and lymphocytes from tumor draining regional lymph nodes (LNs) in SPC patients by CD20 (L26), CD8, and CD56 immunostaining. We examined 14 cases of TILs, 15 cases of TALs and 19 cases of LNs. TILs were infiltrating tumor stroma. No significant difference was detected in TILs, TALs and LNs in the expression of the B-cell marker CD20. In contrast, CD8 (T-cytotoxic) and CD56 (natural killer cell, NK) markers were dominant in LNs and TALs, but not in TILs. We conclude that SPC tumor lymphocytic infiltrate demonstrates a deplete T cytotoxic (CD8+) and NK cell (CD56+) immunophenotypic profile. This might in part explain the poor clinical outcome of the disease.