Vittorio Marinozzi

A comparative study of histopathology, hormone receptors, peanut lectin binding, ki-67 immunostaining, and nucleolar organizer region-associated proteins in human breast cancer

The current study was performed on 71 cases of human female breast cancer and compares the results of five morphologic methods developed for the detection of estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PgR), lectin Peanut agglutinin (PNA) binding sites, monoclonal antibody Ki‐67 immunoreactivity, and the mean number of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (Ag‐NOR). All the parameters were evaluated on serial cryostat sections representative of a closely related, if not identical, neoplastic population. A significant positive correlation was found between the occurrence of estrogen, progesterone, and peanut receptors and between Ki‐67 immunoreactivity, mean number of NOR, and mitotic index. Furthermore, ER, PgR, and PNA receptors showed a significant, inverse correlation with Ki‐67 immunoreactivity, mitotic index, and mean number of Ag‐NOR. These results provide further data that support the hypothesis that (1) progesterone and PNA receptors are estrogen‐induced and indicate a metabolic response of the target cells to functioning estrogen receptors; (2) the mean number of NOR reflects the cell kinetics of the tumor; and (3) metabolic differentiation of neoplastic cells is inversely correlated to the proliferation index.

Membranous Nephropathy Associated with Giant Lymph Node Hyperplasia A Case Report with Histological and Ultrastructural Studies

A young woman presented with nephrotic syndrome due to membranous nephropathy and a localized form of giant lymph node hyperplasia (Castlemans disease) occurring as a large intra-abdominal mass. Five months after surgical removal of the mass, only mild proteinuria persisted. Twenty months later a second kidney biopsy showed a near-normal morphology. Six years later the patient was free of symptoms and had normal urinalysis. Reviewing the pertinent literature, it seems to be the first case of a biopsy-proven cure of membranous nephropathy in a patient with membranous nephropathy and Castlemans disease.

Multiple Myeloma and Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia: Simultaneous Occurrence without Previous Chemotherapy

A patient with acute myelomonocytic leukemia was found to have IgG paraprotein on serum electrophoresis Bence Jones K proteinuria and increased plasma cells (30%) on marrow examination. The simultaneous occurrence of the two diseases was well documented by cytochemical immunological and electron-microscopic findings. Bone marrow chromosome investigations showed an abnormal karyotype: hypodiploidy was prevalent and marker chromosomes were present. A possible relationship between acute leukemia and multiple myeloma is discussed.

Influence of cetylpyridinium chloride on the ultrastructural appearance of sulphated glycosaminoglycans in human colonic mucosa

SummaryThe effect of adding cetylpyridinium chloride to the fixative on the preservation of sulphated glycosaminoglycans (SGs) was studied in human normal colonic mucosa. SGs were visualized at the ultrastructural level through the application of Spicers High Iron Diamine (HID) technique followed by a post-fixation with potassium ferrocyanide-reduced osmium tetroxide. SGs were mainly localized in basement membranes of epithelium and capillary wall and along collagen fibers. The morphology of the reactive sites depended on the presence of cetylpyridinium chloride, SGs being granular in absence of the salt and more or less elongated when cetylpyridinium chloride was added to the fixative.We suggest that the use of cetylpyridinium chloride during fixation may help to preserve SG molecule at the ultrastructural level.

Visualization of the secretory canaliculi of human parietal cells with a peroxidase-labelled peanut lectin

SummaryPeanut lectin reactivity was examined in normal fundic glands from human gastric samples, both at light- and electron-microscopic levels, using a peroxidase conjugate. Positive reaction was observed in the glycocalyx of parietal cell secretory canaliculi as well as in the mucous globules of mucous cells and in the luminal cell coat of chief cells. The presence of terminal galactose in the canalicular glycocalyx may be connected with the peculiar function of hydrochloric acid secretion. Peroxidase-labelled peanut lectin is proposed as a marker for visualizing the secretory canaliculus of parietal cells.

Interphasic nucleolar organizer regions expression and cell kinetics evaluation during gastric carcinogenesis induced by nitrosoguanidine in the rat

SummaryAn increased number of interphasic nucleolar organizer regions containing ribosomal cistrons associated with argyrophilic proteins (AgNORs) has been described in human malignant tumor cells. In this study variations in AgNOR numbers have been compared with changes of cell kinetics, evaluated by the mitotic count (MC) and bromodeoxyuridine labeling index (BrdU LI), during gastric carcinogenesis induced with N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NG) in rats. Significant differences (2P< 0.005) in AgNOR mean numbers, evaluated in the antral isthmic cells, in MC mean values and BrdU LI, evaluated in the whole antral cellular population, were found when comparing areas of acute gastritis, atrophy and hyperplasia in NG-treated rats with the normal mucosa in controls.No differences were observed in MC and BrdU LI between normal antrum and carcinoma cells which showed an AgNORs mean number lower than in the isthmic cells of controls (2P< 0.005). Moreover, significant correlations were found comparing changes in Ag-NOR numbers with MC (r = 0.89,P<0.001) and BrdU LI (r = 0.66,P<0.001) in different lesions.These data show that evaluation of AgNOR numbers does not allow the identification of malignant cells in NG-induced gastric carcinoma. However AgNOR quantification seems to be a reliable index of cell kinetics and related well with the cellular dividing fraction.

Ultrastructural histochemical investigations of "dense deposit disease". Pathogenetic approach to a special type of mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis.

Dense deposit disease is characterized by the presence of intramembranous dense deposits; their consituents are unknown but immunological and biochemical studies have demonstrated that they contain noγ-globulins or any other plasma protein. In order to clarify the nature of the dense deposits better, we investigated their most distinctive character, (marked electrondensity) by means of ultrastructural histochemistry techniques using thin sections from Formaldehyde fixed, OsO4 postfixed and Epon embedded specimens collected for diagnostic electron microscopy. The dense deposits have a higher osmium affinity than the lamina densa of normal basement membranes, and the electrondensity is strictly osmium-dependent suggesting the presence of a lipid component. Further data, obtained using an extraction method for lipids, seems to confirm out hypothesis.

Antibody formation and transient immune complex glomerulopathy in A-Strain mice with C1300 neuroblastoma tumors

SummaryOne to three-month-old A-strain mice, inoculated subcutaneously with 2 × 106 viable syngeneic C1300 neuroblastoma cells (clone NB9R) developed a palpable tumor within 9–12 days and died within 28–30 days. A transient glomerulopathy developed after 16–24 days. Despite a normal histologic appearance, the nephropathy was clearly demonstrated by electron microscopy and was classified as a focal mesangiopathic glomerulonephritis. Deposits of host 7S-G immunoglobulins and C3 complement fragments were detected in these same kidneys by immunofluorescence. Radioimmunoprecipitin determinations on sera obtained from mice at different intervals from tumor cell inoculation, revealed that untreated mice contained circulating antibodies capable of reacting with125I-labeled gp69–71 glycoprotein from Gross murine leukemia virus (MuLV). Antibodies to p30 MuLV antigen and to crude membrane antigen (s) (CMA) solubilized from NB9R cells were found in sera only after tumor cell inoculation. Circulating immune complexes formed by host 7S-G immunoglobulins were clearly detected from day 16 to 22. Antibodies eluted from kidneys with nephropathy were shown to react with NB9R cells in vitro and to react specifically with CMA and the p30 MuLV antigen.