Constantinos S. Papadimitriou

Distribution of lysozyme, a1-Antichymotrypsin and a1-Antitrypsin in adenocarcinomas of the stomach and large intestine

Lysozyme, a1-Antichymotrypsin and a1-Antitrypsin were demonstrated by an immunoperoxidase technique (PAP) in malignant cells of adenocarcinomas of the stomach but not of the large intestine. Lymph-node metastases showed identical immunoreactivity to that of the primary tumour. Neoplasms arising from the cardia, the body and the pyloric antrum of the stomach showed different immunostaining reactions: It seems that these differences partly reflect the distribution of lysozyme, a1-Antichymotrypsin and a1-Antitrypsin in the normal gastric mucosa. The usefulness of our findings in the identification of the primary tumour in cases of lymph node metastases of unknown origin, is also discussed.

High Incidence of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma in Neighbouring Villages of Northwestern Greece

Between 1981 and 1985 seven patients from three villages of the Metsovo area in Northwestern Greece (population 5000) developed malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). The diagnosis was made with pleural biopsy and pleural fluid cytology. Six of these patients have died 18-24 months after the first symptoms (usually dyspnea on exertion) and 1 is still alive after 24 months. Seven MPMs in 5,000 in five years is about 280 times the expected incidence of 1/1,000,000/year. In the same area, endemic pleural calcifications linked to nonoccupational asbestos exposure have recently been reported, but none of our patients with MPM had pleural calcifications. The combination of MPM and pleural plaques in such a high frequency in the same area strongly suggests asbestos fiber as a common etiologic agent. On the other hand, the fact that the combination of MPM and pleural plaques did not occur in the same individuals, suggests a different response to this common offending agent.

Labial minor salivary gland biopsy: a highly discriminatory diagnostic method between sarcoidosis and Sjögren's syndrome.

Sixty labial minor salivary gland biopsies (lip biopsies) from 32 patients with sarcoidosis and 28 patients with primary Sjögrens syndrome were evaluated retrospectively and blindly. Six biopsies revealed typical sarcoid granulomata. All six belonged to patients with previously diagnosed sarcoidosis. Twelve lip biopsies, all from sarcoidosis patients, were classified as presenting 1+ or less lymphoid infiltrates according to Tarpleys classification. The biopsies of the remaining 14 patients with sarcoidosis showed normal tissues. Finally, 28 biopsies were classified as having 2+ or 3+ lymphoid infiltrates and/or fibrosis. All belonged to patients with Sjögrens syndrome. Our results indicate that lip biopsy has a rather low diagnostic yield in sarcoidosis (19%) but, more importantly, it can discriminate very well between sarcoidosis and Sjögrens syndrome.

An immunocytochemical study of the distribution of lysozyme, a1-antitrypsin and a1-antichymotrypsin in the normal and pathological gall bladder

We have studied the distribution of lysozyme (Ly), a1-antitrypsin (a1AT) and a1-antichymotrypsin (a1AChy) in the normal, chronically inflamed and neoplastic gall bladder mucosa using the peroxidase-anti-peroxidase (PAP) method. Ly was absent from the normal mucosa but it was found only in areas of glandular metaplasia of true antral type and in crypts of possible early metaplastic nature in cases of chronic cholecystitis. a1AT and a1AChy were also found in such metaplastic areas, but their presence was also observed immunohistochemically in areas of essentially normal and in non-metaplastic, chronically inflamed gall bladder mucosa. The possible local production of these substances by gall bladder epithelial cells is discussed. Ly, a1AT and a1AChy were also found in various histological types of adenocarcinoma of the gall bladder in varying degrees of frequency and intensity, unrelated to the histological type and invasiveness of the tumour.

An overlap of diffuse fasciitis with eosinophilia and scleroderma

SummaryA case with overlapping features of scleroderma and diffuse fasciitis with eosinophilia is presented.

Protection of the gastroduodenal mucosa from the effects of diclofenac sodium: role of highly selective vagotomy and misoprostol.

Abstract. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of highly selective vagotomy (HSV) or misoprostol, a prostaglandin E 1 (PGE 1 ) analog, for protecting the gastroduodenal mucosa (GDM) from the effects of diclofenac sodium (DS). Fifty mongrel dogs were randomly allocated to five groups. HSV alone was performed in group I dogs (controls) to standardize the operation. DS was given intramuscularly for 12 consecutive days to the group II dogs, whereas in the group III dogs HSV was performed, followed a month later by DS administration, as in group II. DS was given in combination with misoprostol for 12 days to the group IV dogs. HSV was performed on the group V dogs, and a month later DS and misoprostol were given, as in group IV. After sacrificing the animals the GDM was examined for macroscopic and histologic lesions. Statistical analysis was made by Fisher’s exact test. HSV alone did not protect the gastric or duodenal mucosa from the effects of DS (p = 0.474 andp = 0.62, respectively). Misoprostol alone also did not offer significant protection to the gastric or the duodenal mucosa (p = 0.08 andp = 0.65, respectively). The combination of HSV plus misoprostol protected the gastric mucosa (group V,p = 0.007) but not the duodenal mucosa (group V,p = 0.08). Hence HSV or misoprostol alone offers no protection to the GDM from the effects of DS. The combination of HSV and misoprostol offers significant protection only to gastric mucosa. Enhancement of the mucosal defense mechanisms combined with strong reduction of gastric acidity may offer adequate protection to gastric mucosa from the effects of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.

Specific antigen and antibody to Mycobacterium leprae in the cryoprecipitate of a patient with Lucio phenomenon.

SummaryUsing a sensitive and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay we showed that the cryoglobulins of a patient with Lucio phenomenon contain phenolic glycolipid I antigen and a specific antibody.