G. K. Steigleder

Die Fähigkeit der Hautoberfläche zur Esterspaltung und Esterbildung

Die Aktivitat von Esterasen in den Mycelien und Sporen von 5 Dermatophytenstammen, 8 saprophytischen Pilzen, 5 verschiedenen Hefen und 9 Bakterienstammen wurde untersucht. Es wurde ferner der Einflus folgender bekannter Hemmer von Esterasen gepruft: Coffein, Chinin, Glycerin, Natriumfluorid, Natriumtaurocholat, Physostigminsalicylat, ferner die Wirkung von Ichthyol. In Hefen, Pilzen und Bakterien findet sich eine deutliche Aktivitat von Esterasen. Nach dem Effekt der Hemmer sind die Esterasen der Pilze und Hefen vom Typ der Leberesterasen, d. h. sie spalten bevorzugt Ester kurzkettiger Fettsauren. Ichthyol und Physostigmin (=Eserin) hatten eine uberraschend starke Hemmwirkung. Naheres siehe Tabellen. Offenbar steht die Aktivitat der Esterasen in einer Beziehung zum Pilzwachstum, denn die Enden der Mycelien reagieren starker als die mehr zentralen Abschnitte. Im quantitativen Nachweis war eine 15 Tage alte Kultur von Trichophyton mentagrophytes (=Trichophyton Kaufmann-Wolf) wesentlich aktiver als eine 50 Tage alte. Dieser Befund last sich nicht verallgemeinern, da bei Microsporon gypseum die junge Kultur nicht aktiver als die altere ist (Abb. 9).

Initial lesions of HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma--a histological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural study.

SummaryKaposis sarcoma (KS) in human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) has become a rather frequent manifestation of the previously rare disease with fatal outcome. Initial lesions of KS were studied by means of histopathology, immunohistology, and electron microscopy in order to define the earliest alterations. The histopathological changes of initial lesions were distinct, consisting of (1) discrete proliferation of capillary vessels, (2) dissection of collagen by proliferating spindle cells which formed slits, (3) atypical spindle cells arranged in an Indian file pattern, and (4) the lack of any inflammatory cellular infiltrate. Double staining with antibodies against vimentin and immunohistochemical markers for endothelial cells revealed that slits forming vimentin-positive spindle cells displayed laminin, factor VIII, and PAL-E. Atypical vimentinpositive spindle cells arranged in an Indian file pattern inconsistently expressed laminin and factor VIII, but not PAL-E. KS cells rarely stained with the lectin UEA I, not even in case of less advanced dedifferentiation. Electron microscopy showed gradual transformation between spindle cells forming slits and those having lost the ability to form incomplete vessel walls. The present findings support the view that KS develops from the endothelial cells of the blood vessels. The proliferation of atypical endothelial cells as early as in initial lesions and the lack of inflammation favors the primary neoplastic genesis of KS.

Histology of benign virus induced tumors of the skin.

The majority of findings in relation to warts have been passed on from one textbook to the other since the end of the last century. More recent studies have been carried out with the electron microscope. But information is lacking as to histology, histochemistry, examination with the phase‐contrast microscope, with the interference microscope, microradiography and other new techniques. Warts are a proliferation of the epidermis caused by a virus, and we know that the culprit acts in the epidermis itself. Warts are acanthomas, and a transition to malignancy is possible in predisposed persons. It is most remarkable that in the malignant tumors of epidermodysplasia verruciformis, no virus could be found. As the demonstration of viruses with the electron microscope and other techniques cannot be made as a matter of routine, we have to search for a simpler method with the light microscope. With the application of more elaborate procedures, new information about epidermal proliferation will certainly be obtained.

Kaposi's sarcoma: Venous capillary haemangioblastoma

SummaryHistochemical and ultrastructural studies in two patients with Kaposis sarcoma revealed that spindle cells have the pattern of venous capillary endothelium.ZusammenfassungHistochemische und ultrastrukturelle Untersuchungen bei zwei Patienten mit Kaposi-Sarkom ergaben, daß die Spindelzellen die Merkmale von venösen Capillarendothelien aufweisen.

In situ identification and enumeration of T lymphocytes in cutaneous T-cell lymphomas by demonstration of granular activity of acid non-specific esterase

Activity of acid non‐specific esterase (ANAE) in infiltrating lymphocytes in nine patients with mycosis fungoides and four patients with parapsoriasis en plaques was examined in frozen tissue sections. Within the dermal infiltrate 81·7± 6·1% of all lymphocytes contain this enzyme in mycosis fungoides, 74·7±3·3%, in parapsoriasis en plaques. These results correlate well with the percentage of T lymphocytes determined by immunological techniques. Mycosis fungoides may be regarded as an ANAE‐positive cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma. Because of its simplicity this technique may be of value in further investigations of mycosis fungoides.

Cutaneous mutinous deposits

A survey of conditions with mucinous deposits is given. The most important factors for their diagnosis are to consider these disorders and to stain the slides for proteoglycans or glycosaminoglycans; the most common routine techniques are the Giemsa and the Alcian‐blue stain. More sophisticated methods allow differentiation between specific compounds, especially hyaluronic acid and various pro‐teglycans.

A new immunoenzyme tracer for localization of antibodies in immunohistology: peroxidase-labeled protein A.

Protein A from Staphylococcus aureus, characterized by high affinity binding properties for IgG‐type antibodies, was labeled with peroxidase to form a stable immuno‐histological tracer molecule of comparatively low molecular weight. It has been used for demonstration of antibodies against tissue antigens, in direct and indirect techniques, and the findings were consistent with those in routine immunofluorescence and in staining with peroxidase‐coupled anti‐IgG. In comparison, the lowest unspecific tissue adsorption and staining was obtained with Protein A‐peroxidase in buffer containing glucose, galactose and mannose. The immunohistological preparations were mounted and stored for documentation without apparent loss of staining.

The behavior of reticulin fibers in and around melanomas.

A previous study confirmed the correlation between the vertical diameter of malignant melanomas and prognosis. In 72 of these tumors we examined the pattern and number of reticulin fibers (RF) around and within the melanomas. An increase in vertical diameter was accompanied by an increase of RF within the tumor and a decrease of RF on its edges. The differences were not sufficiently significant to allow firm prognosis.

Epidermal cell growth-dependent arylhydrocarbon-hydroxylase (AHH) activity in vitro

SummaryCytochrome P-450-dependent arylhydrocarbon-hydroxylase (AHH) activity and inducibility by benzanthracene (BA) was measured in cultured guinea pig and human epidermal cells. Basal AHH-activity (AHHb) in guinea pig epidermal cells was much higher than in human epidermal cells. AHHb in guinea pig epidermal cells was directly related to the labeling index and decreased to the original level between the 5th and 7th day of cell culturing. On the other hand, the induction-ratio of AHH reached its maximum level when the number of cells began to rise (proliferation phase) and remained high at day 7 of the cell culture. These results suggest a cell growth dependent activity and inducibility of carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes, such as AHH, in isolated epidermal cells.

Proliferation kinetics of the dermal infiltrate in cutaneous malignant lymphomas

SummaryTo obtain information about the role of local proliferation in the pathogenesis of dermal infiltrate in malignant cutaneous lymphomas, we determined the percentage of 3H-thymidine-labeled infiltrating cells (3H-index).A linear correlation was found between proliferative activity and clinical stage in mycosis fungoides, i.e., the 3H-index is moderately elevated in stage I and high in stage III.The 3H-index is within normal range in dermal infiltrate of Sézary syndrome, diffuse lymphocytic lymphoma, as well as in lymphocytoma benigna cutis.In parapsoriasis en plaques two groups can be distinguished: in the smallplaque variant (chronic superficial dermatitis) the 3H-index is low, whereas the large-plaque variant (prereticulotic poikiloderma) shows strong proliferative activity.Thus, determination of proliferative activity seems to give new insights into the pathogenesis of dermal infiltrate in cutaneous lymphomas.ZusammenfassungUm die Bedeutung der lokalen Zellproliferation im dermalen Infiltrat bei cutanen malignen Lymphomen zu untersuchen, bestimmten wir den Prozentsatz der 3H-Thymidin-markierten Infiltratzellen (3H-Index.Zwischen dem klinischen Stadium der Mycosis fungoides und der Proliferationsaktivität des dermalen Infiltrats besteht eine lineare Beziehung; im Stadium I ist die Proliferation niedrig, im Stadium III sehr hoch.Nicht erhöht ist der 3H-Index im dermalen Infiltrat beim Sézary-Syndrom, diffusen lymphocytischen Lymphom sowie bei Lymphocytoma benigna cutis.Bei der Parapsoriasis en plaques müssen zwei Formen unterschieden werden: bei der kleinfleckigen Form (“chronic superficial dermatitis”) ist der 3H-Index niedrig, während die großfleckige Form (Präretikulotisches Poikiloderm) eine starke Proliferationsaktivität aufweist.Die Untersuchung des Proliferationsverhaltens gibt neue Einblicke in die Pathogenese des dermalen Infiltrats cutaner Lymphome.