Kinya Okano

Histochemical comparison of oxidative enzymes in adrenal glands of mammals

SummarySuccinic dehydrogenase, five DPN-linked dehydrogenases-lactic dehydrogenase, malic dehydrogenase, glutamic dehydrogenase, α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, β-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase, two TPN linked dehydrogenases — glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, isocitric dehydrogenase and 3β-ol steroid dehydrogenase were studied in mouse, rat, guinea pig, rabbit, dog, cat, cow, monkey and human adrenal glands. Histochemical studies were made of a characteristic distribution of different level of enzyme activity. In mammals adrenal glands, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase showed the highest activity and its localization was divided into the following two groups: 1) High enzymatic activity was demonstrated in the zona fasciculata and reticularis of the rat, guinea pig, rabbit, cat and 2) high enzymatic activity was demonstrated in the zona glomerulosa and reticularis of the dog, cow and monkey. A precise relationship between the localization and endocrinological function remains abscure.

INCIPIENT GERM CELL TUMOR IN SERTOLI‐CELL‐ONLY SYNDROME TESTIS, ACCOMPANIED WITH RETROPERITONEAL TERATOCARCINOMA AND WIDESPREAD METASTASES

Incipient germ cell tumor in Sertoli-cell-only syndrome testis was examined in an autopsy case of retroperitoneal teratocarcinoma with widespread metastases. Although both testes of a 28-year-old man had clinically been small and free from tumor mass to palpation, histopathological examinations revealed a malignancy in the right testis with the appearance of Sertoli-cell-only syndrome. The left testis showed solely the histology of Sertoli-cell-only syndrome. The testicular malignancy consisted of undifferentiated, atypical germ cells mainly confined within approximately one-tenth of seminiferous tubules, and only one small cartilage nodule. Some tubules showed intratubular growth pattern suggestive of seminoma. A few syncytiotrophoblast-like giant cells occurred in the tubules. These findings seem to furnish substantial evidence to the concept that atypical germ cells are the origin of testicular germ cell tumors of different types.

Cervical carcinoid associated with adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

子宮頸部のsmallcellcarcinomaは従来よりsquamous cell carcinomaの1亜型に分類されているが, 最近はAPUD系腫瘍との関連性が注目され, carcinoidとして報告されつつある.われわれは, 40歳3経妊1経産婦に発生し, 電顕的にneuro-secretory granuleを有する子宮頸部carcinoidの1例を経験した.組織学的には, 腫瘍の大部分はsmall cell carcinomaで占められるが, 一部にwell-differentiated adenocarcinomaおよび1argecellnon-keratinizing squamous cellcarcinoma成分を伴っており, smallcellcarcinomaと連続的移行像も認められる. ほかにsquamousdysplasiaも存在する.本腫瘍のhistogenesisとして, 多分化能を有する未熟上皮細胞由来の可能性が示唆される.剥離細胞像の特徴としては, 大部分を占めるsmallcellcarcinoma由来細胞のみで, 多数の小型腫瘍細胞を主として散在性に認める. 腫瘍細胞質は極めて乏しく, 核は円形ないし卵円型で一様である. 核クロマチンは増量し, 粗大穎粒状で, 核小体は不明瞭である.膣細胞診におけるこれらの小型腫瘍細胞はリンパ球と混同されやすく, また本腫瘍は極めて予後不良であることからも, 細胞診に際しては特別の注意を要する.

ADRENOCORTICAL CARCINOMA CAUSING FEMINIZATION IN AN ADULT MALE

A 5 1-year-old man had noted gradually increasing bilateral breast enlargement without any particular reasons. X-ray examination demonstrated a partially calcified large mass above the left kidney, displacing the kidney inferiorly. The breast and nipples were moderately enlarged bilaterally with pigmented areola. On microscopic examinatian of the breast, moderate proliferation of ductal epithelial cells and collagenous tissue with infiltration of lymphocytes, was observed. Because the left adrenal tumor was suspected to be of estrogen secreting nature, quantitative analyses of individual urinary steroid were undertaken. The values of preoperative urinary steroids per 24 hours are shown in Table I. Individual urinary estrogen present in the phenolic fraction of limpet-8-glucuronidase hydrolyzate, was estimated fluorometrically after chromatographic separation by the column of ion exchange resin (Fig. 1)l). Urinary excretion of total estrogen was 39.5pg per 24 hours, showing a moderately high value (normal range in this method for adult male varied from 15 pg to 5 pg). As shown in Fig. 2, the analyses of urinary 17-ketosteroids were performed by the samples of ketonic fracton obtained by limpet-8-glucuronidase hydrolysis and solvolysis according to the method of BURSTEIN and LIEBERMAN. Urinary excretion of total 17-ketosteroids was 7.8mg per 24 hours and within normal range. Increased amount of excretion of dehydroepiandrosterone and 1 l-oxygenated-17-ketosteroids in some cases of adrenocortical tumor were reported. But in this case, the amount of these steroids were in normal range. It was a remarkable finding that the amount of biologically inactive etiocholanolone was 3.3 times as larger than that of biologically active androsterone (amount of androsterone excreted is normally slightly higher than that of etiocholanolone) . The urinary excretion of r”egnane-Sa,2Oa-diol, pregnane-%~, 17a,20a-triol and 17-OIICS were also within normal range. An ATCH response of the adrenal cortex was proved to be normal by the analyses of 17-OHCS excretion.