人胰腺癌淋巴管的分布及形态观察

目的观察人胰腺癌淋巴管的分布及形态结构,探讨胰腺癌淋巴道转移机制。方法取手术后人胰腺癌标本21例,应用免疫组化染色法LYVE-1标记淋巴管进行淋巴管计数,半薄切片光镜观察和超薄切片透射电镜观察胰腺癌组织淋巴管的形态及分布特点。结果胰腺癌组织中LYVE-1染色阳性的脉管具有淋巴管的形态学特征,可见癌周组织的微淋巴管数量较癌旁"正常区"有所增加(P<0.01);半薄切片光镜下可见癌周边区和"正常区"淋巴管存在,癌中心区未见有淋巴管;电镜下癌周边区淋巴管内皮细胞连接开放,部分内皮细胞破裂溶解,管壁不完整。淋巴管内皮细胞的线粒体、高尔基体等细胞器改变。结论胰腺癌组织淋巴管主要位于癌周围浸润区的纤维结缔组织中,且淋巴管数量较癌旁"正常区"增多,淋巴管内皮超微结构改变。胰腺癌淋巴管转移可能通过增多的淋巴管的内皮连接开放和对内皮细胞的破坏溶解作用进入淋巴管管壁。     

胃癌组织淋巴管LYVE-1、钙粘蛋白的表达及其与癌转移的关系

目的：探讨胃癌组织钙粘蛋白的表达与癌淋巴道转移的相关性。方法：取胃癌标本14例，正常胃组织标本2例。通过E-cadherin、β-catenin和LYVE-1免疫组化方法，观察肿瘤淋巴管的表达。结果：LYVE-1在正常和癌组织淋巴管阳性表达，正常淋巴管E．cadherin、β-catenin表达阴性，β-catenin在胃癌淋巴管表达弱阳性，β-catenin在淋巴管的表达与肿瘤的分化程度及有无转移有负相关性。结论：LYVE-1在淋巴管特异性表达，E-cadherin／β-catenin复合物在淋巴道转移过程中，对肿瘤细胞与淋巴管内皮细胞的粘附起一定的作用，但不是主要作用。     

Immunohistochemical staining of von Willebrand factor in human endometrium during normal menstrual cycle

Endometrial biopsies were obtained from 73 normal women throughoutthe menstrual cycle. Using a polyclonal antibody and a streptavidin–biotin–peroxidasemethod, formalinfixed paraffin sections of the tissue were stainedfor von Willebrand factor (vWF). Both subjective scoring andobjective quantitative colour image analysis were used to assessthe staining intensity, and the results obtained by the twomethods were in concordance with each other. Positive stainingwas observed at all stages of the menstrual cycle. Specificstaining was confined to the vascular endothelium and showedcyclical changes. The staining intensity was the weakest duringthe menstrual phase and was significantly (P < 0.02) reducedfrom all other stages of the cycle, except late secretory phase.This was followed by a rapid increase in the early proliferativephase to reach a peak in the mid cycle before gradually fallingoff towards the end of the cycle. The staining intensity inthe late secretory phase was significantly reduced (P < 0.05)from other stages except menstrual, early proliferative andmid secretory phase. Vascular staining for vWF was heterogeneouswith some vessels devoid of any positive staining.     

Expression and quantification of LYVE-1 in human colorectal cancer

Abstract The recent discovery of a new hyaluronan (HA) receptor, LYVE-1 (lymphatic vessel endothelial HA receptor), has been received with great interest regarding its specific expression in the lymphatic system. The process of lymphangiogenesis or the formation of new lymphatics in tumours is important because it serves as a major route for cancer metastasis. Therefore, methods to quantify lymphangiogenesis by measuring LYVE-1 have been studied extensively in searching for its possible role in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and even targeted treatment of lymphatic tumour metastasis. Here we report a quantitation study on lymphangiogenesis by either quantitative PCR or immunohistochemistry approaches in detecting LYVE-1 expression in human colorectal tumour. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTQ-PCR) was carried out to quantify LYVE-1 levels in colorectal cancer samples. Also, the same specimen was observed for LYVE-1 expression by immunohistochemical stain. By RTQ-PCR amplification, LYVE-1 was highly expressed in colorectal specimens and LYVE-1 signal from non-cancer tissue of normal control was much weaker by conventional RTPCR. Immunohistochemical stain showed that LYVE-1 was significantly expressed in cancer tissues (especially in the margin region of cancer), whereas in non-cancer specimens fewer positive stains were revealed. The results suggested that the LYVE-1 molecule was expressed significantly in colorectal specimens, which may imply a new marker for a malignant situation. * These authors share first authorship.     

Expression of a lymphatic endothelial cell marker in benign and malignant vascular tumors

Tumors of endothelial cell origin are relatively common. Soft tissue tumors and numerous subtypes of benign and malignant vascular tumors have been described; the histogenesis of many of these tumors is uncertain, and distinguishing between benign and malignant vascular tumors, some of which express lymphatic endothelial cell markers, can be problematic. In the present study, immunophenotypic expression of a novel hyaluronan receptor (LYVE-1), which is expressed by endothelial cells of normal lymphatic vessels but not blood vessels, was determined in benign and malignant vascular tumors. It was found that, except in lymphangiomas, intramuscular hemangiomas, and Masson's hemangiomas, endothelial cells in benign blood vessel tumors (including capillary and cavernous hemangiomas, glomus tumors, pyogenic granulomas, and epithelioid hemangiomas) were negative for LYVE-1, and that all angiosarcomas and Kaposi's sarcomas were positive for LYVE-1. Expression of LYVE-1 and other lymphatic endothelial cell markers in relatively few vascular neoplasms has implications for the histogenesis of these lesions, and may prove useful in distinguishing angiosarcoma and Kaposi's sarcoma from most common benign vascular tumors.     

Immunohistochemical Examination on the Distribution of Cells Expressed Lymphatic Endothelial Marker Podoplanin and LYVE-1 in the Mouse Tongue Tissue

The clinical study for lingual disease requires the detailed investigation of the lingual lymphatic network and lymphatic marker-positive cells. Recently, it has been reported that several tissue cells and leukocytes express lymphatic markers, LYVE-1 and podoplanin. This study was aimed to clarify the lingual distribution of cells expressing LYVE-1 and podoplanin. In the mouse tongue, podoplanin is expressed in nerve sheaths, lingual gland myoepithelial cells, and lymphatic vessels. LYVE-1 is expressed in the macrophage marker Mac-1-positive cells as well as lymphatic vessels, while factor-VIII was detected in only blood endothelial cells. α-SMA was detected in vascular smooth muscle and myoepithelial cells. Therefore, identification of lymphatic vessels in lingual glands, the combination of LYVE-1 and factor-VIII, or LYVE-1 and Mac-1 is useful because myoepithelial cells express podoplanin and α-SMA. The immunostaining of factor-VIII on lymphatic vessels was masked by the immunostaining to LYVE-1 or podoplanin because lymphatic vessels express factor-VIII to a far lesser extent than blood vessels. Therefore, except for the salivary glands, the combination of podoplanin and α-SMA, or factor-VIII is useful to identify lymphatic vessels and blood vessels with smooth muscle, or blood capillaries.     

Mosaic-like distribution of endothelial cell antigens in capillaries and juxta-alveolar microvessels in the normal human lung

The distribution patterns of endothelial cell antigens, including thrombomodulin and von Willebrand factor (vWf), were studied in normal lung tissues obtained from distant areas of solitary nodules (seven adenocarcinomas and four hamartomas). By single immunoalkaline phosphatase and dual immunofluorescence stainings, the plasma membranes of alveolar capillary endothelium showed linear distribution of thrombomodulin, but their cytoplasm was rarely reactive for vWf (thrombomodulin-dominant pattern). Microvessels with a diameter larger than 10 microm located in the connective tissue zones demonstrated band-like reaction for vWf in their cytoplasm, and their plasma membranes often lacked reactivity for thrombomodulin (vWf-dominant pattern). The juxta-alveolar microvessels located along the borders between the alveolar- and connective-tissue zones showed mosaic-like pattern of distribution for these antigens. The pulmonary venules and peribronchial microvessels measuring up to 40 microm in diameter, demonstrated the expression of thrombomodulin along the plasma membrane, and that of vWf in the cytoplasm. Capillaries of the bronchial circulation were also characterized by mosaic-like pattern of distribution. Both antigens were often expressed in a single cytoplasmic segment. The heterogeneous distribution pattern of these antigens suggests topographic difference in endothelial cell function to maintain coagulatory and anticoagulatory balance in the normal human lung.     

乳腺癌淋巴管LYVE-1和PROX-1表达程度与肿瘤淋巴转移的关联性分析

目的观察乳腺浸润性导管癌患者肿瘤组织中乳腺癌淋巴管LYVE-1和PROX-1的表达程度与肿瘤淋巴转移的关联性。方法选择乳腺浸润性导管癌患者90例为实验组,以60例乳腺良性病变患者为对照组,检测实验组患者肿瘤组织LYVE-1和PROX-1的水平,与对照组患者组织的LYVE-1和PROX-1的水平进行比较;将实验组患者按转移、复发情况进行分类,观察LYVE-1和PROX-1表达与肿瘤淋巴转移的关系。结果实验组患者肿瘤组织的LYVE-1和PROX-1阳性淋巴管密度(LVD)明显高于对照组,实验组患者中有淋巴转移患者的LYVE-1和PROX-1阳性LVD明显高于无淋巴转移患者,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);LYVE-1和PROX-1阳性LVD之间无相关性;logistic回归分析,LYVE-1和PROX-1是肿瘤转移的相关因素,对LYVE-1、PROX-1与转移的关系绘制ROC曲线,AUC分别为0.716、0.672;按ROC曲线分析所得诊断临界值进行分组,随访观察一年,LYVE-1、PROX-1阳性LVD升高患者,淋巴转移率较高。结论乳腺浸润性导管癌患者肿瘤组织LYVE-1和PROX-1表达与淋巴管生成有关,表达程度高的患者更易发生淋巴转移。     

Investigation of intratumoural and peritumoural lymphatics expressed by podoplanin and LYVE-1 in the hybridoma-induced tumours

Tumour-associated lymphatics contribute to a key component of metastatic spread, however, the biological interaction of tumour cells with intratumoural and peritumoural lymphatics (ITLs and PTLs) has remained unclear. To address this important issue, we have focused on the morphological and molecular aspects of newly formed lymphatics (lymphangiogenesis) and pre-existing lymphatics in the intratumoural and peritumoural tissues by using a hybridoma-induced tumour model. In the present study, ITLs with very high vessel density within the tumour mass showed small and flattened contours that varied from non-solid-to-solid tumours, whereas PTLs were relatively disorganized and tortuous, and packed with a cluster of tumour cells at the tumour periphery. Lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) both in ITLs and PTLs were expressed with LYVE-1 and podoplanin in various tumour tissues, in which initial lymphatics were extremely extended and dilated. The tumour cells were frequently detected adhering to or penetrating lymphatic walls, especially near the open junctions. In the metastatic tissues, lymphangiogenic vasculatures occurred within the tumour matrix, and collecting PTLs represented abnormal twisty valve leaflets. The Western blot and RT-PCR analysis showed local variations of LEC proliferating potentials and lymphatic involvement in metastasis by a distinct profile of the protein and mRNA expression by LYVE-1, podoplanin, Prox-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor-3 (VEGFR-3). These findings indicated that both ITLs and PTLs, including enlarged pre-existing and newly formed lymphatics, may play a crucial role in metastasis with an active tumour cell adhesion, invasion, migration and implantation.     

Endothelial cell binding by human polyclonal anti-DNA antibodies: relationship to disease activity and endothelial functional alterations.

Polyclonal anti-dsDNA and anti-ssDNA antibodies (PoAb) that showed significant binding to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were isolated from eight patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Anti-dsDNA PoAbs from five patients and anti-ssDNA PoAbs from seven patients demonstrated enhanced binding to HUVEC during active disease, compared with PoAbs obtained from corresponding patients during remission. Reduction of the DNA content in the PoAb preparations by DNase treatment was associated with enhanced binding to HUVEC in 20 of 32 PoAbs tested, which included 75% 'active disease' PoAbs, and with reduced binding to HUVEC in three of 32 PoAbs tested, all obtained during remission. Such altered endothelial cell binding was reversed with DNA reconstitution. Binding of the remaining nine PoAbs to HUVEC was not altered by variations in their DNA content. Induced plasma membrane expression of E-selectin, but reduced expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) by HUVEC, was observed following incubation of HUVEC with 'active disease' PoAbs from three and two of the eight patients, respectively. PoAbs and serum samples from two of the eight patients during active disease induced von Willebrand factor release from HUVEC, which was not observed during remission. We conclude that anti-DNA antibodies from selected patients with SLE can bind to endothelial cells. Correlation between cellular binding and disease activity suggests that such binding of anti-DNA antibodies to endothelial cells could be of pathogenic significance. Preliminary data also suggest that the expression of adhesion molecules and haemostatic factor(s) by endothelial cells may be modified following their binding by anti-DNA antibodies.     

The human renal lymphatics under normal and pathological conditions

AIMS: The renal lymphatics have not been fully documented in humans. The aim of this study was to clarify the morphology of the human renal lymphatic system under normal and pathological conditions by immunohistochemistry using anti-D2-40 antibody. METHODS AND RESULTS: Normal and pathological renal tissues obtained at autopsy as well as nephrectomy specimens with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were used. Thin sections were immunostained with antibodies against D2-40 and CD31. In normal kidney, D2-40+ lymphatics were abundant in the interstitium around the interlobar and arcuate arteries/veins but sporadic in those around the glomeruli or between the tubules in the cortex. A few lymphatics contained erythrocytes in their lumina. Lymphatics were seldom present in the medulla. In RCC cases, lymphatics were evident at the tumour margin, whereas CD31+ capillaries were abundant throughout the tumour and lymphatics were increased in the fibrous interstitium around the tumour. Lymphatic invasion by RCC cells was also detectable. D2-40+ lymphatics were evident in other pathological conditions and end-stage kidney had a denser lymphatic distribution than normal kidney. CONCLUSIONS: Lymphatics are abundant around the arteries/veins and are also present in the renal cortex and medulla. D2-40 immunostaining is helpful for investigating the pathophysiological role of renal lymphatics.     

Expression of the hyaluronan receptor LYVE-1 is not restricted to the lymphatic vasculature; LYVE-1 is also expressed on embryonic blood vessels

Expression of the hyaluronan receptor LYVE-1 is one of few available criteria used to discriminate lymphatic vessels from blood vessels. Until now, endothelial LYVE-1 expression was reported to be restricted to lymphatic vessels and to lymph node, liver, and spleen sinuses. Here, we provide the first evidence that LYVE-1 is expressed on blood vessels of the yolk sac during mouse embryogenesis. LYVE-1 is ubiquitously expressed in the yolk sac capillary plexus at E9.5, then becomes progressively down-regulated on arterial endothelium during vascular remodelling. LYVE-1 is also expressed on intra-embryonic arterial and venous endothelium at early embryonic stages and on endothelial cells of the lung and endocardium throughout embryogenesis. These findings have important implications for the use of LYVE-1 as a specific marker of the lymphatic vasculature during embryogenesis and neo-lymphangiogenesis. Our data are also the first demonstration, to our knowledge, that the mouse yolk sac is devoid of lymphatic vessels.     

Immunohistochemical localization of syndecan-1 in normal and pathological human uterine cervix

Expression of syndecan-1, a cell surface proteoglycan that binds growth factors and extracellular matrix components, was studied in normal and pathological human uterine cervix using immunohistochemical methods. Normal cervical squamous epithelium showed positive staining for syndecan-1 in all cell layers, except the basal cell layer, whereas endocervical columnar epithelium stained weakly. In non-neoplastic reactive lesions, metaplastic squamous cells were positive for syndecan-1, whereas columnar cells showed weak or negative staining. In cervical condylomas, cells showing koilocytotic atypia were positive for syndecan-1. The progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade I to grade III was associated with reduced syndecan-1 expression and localization of syndecan-1 to more superficial cell layers. In squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), syndecan-1 expression correlated with histological differentiation, being absent from most poorly differentiated tumours. The results suggest that loss of syndecan-1 from atypical cells is an early event during cervical carcinogenesis and show a close association of syndecan-1 expression with preserved epithelial morphology and differentiation.     

Embryonic cardiomyocyte expression of endothelial genes.

Vertebrate precardiac mesoderm contains cells destined to become cardiomyocyte or endothelial cells. To determine the stability of these phenotypes freshly isolated embryonic day (E) 2.5-E6 chicken hearts were immunostained for myosin heavy chain (MyHC) to identify cardiomyocytes, and von Willebrand factor (vWF) and Flk-1 to identify endothelial cells. At E2.5-E3, 90% of cells express only MyHC and 6% express only vWF/Flk-1. However, 2% MyHC+ cells in E2.5-E3 hearts and 0.3% in E4-E6 hearts, also express vWF/Flk-1; and when cultured 3 days, >40% of the MyHC+ cells express vWF/Flk-1, but they do not express Vezf1, vascular endothelial cadherin, or Tie2. Thus, only a subset of endothelial genes are induced in cultured cardiomyocytes. While the subsequent developmental fate of embryonic heart cells exhibiting a vWF+/MyHC+ phenotype is unknown, analysis of this phenotype may provide information pertinent to mechanisms of cell phenotype stability, cellular transdifferentiation, and induction of stable cell types from embryonic stem cells.     

Isolated unilateral absence of a pulmonary artery: influence of systemic circulation on alveolar capillary vessels

We report a case of isolated unilateral absence of a pulmonary artery. The first clinical symptom that was manifested in the patient was recurrent hemoptysis, and subsequent angiography revealed that the main pulmonary artery was absent in the right lung, which was being fed only from the systemic circulation. Right pneumonectomy was performed, and neither the main pulmonary artery nor its remnant was detected in the resected right lung. Histologically, there were many muscular vessels in the resected lung, with intimal proliferation, or with plexiform-like lesions. The alveolar septum was moderately thickened and alveolar capillary vessels were dilated. We examined the alveolar capillary endothelial cells of the resected lung for immunoreactivity to thrombomodulin (TM) and von Willebrand factor (vWF). The endothelial cells were negative for TM and positive for vWF, while in the normal lung control group, these cells were positive for TM and negative for vWF. We considered that the hemodynamics of the systemic circulation in the resected lung caused the alteration of immunohistochemical characteristics in alveolar capillary endothelial cells.     

Immunohistochemical localization of cytochrome P450 2E1 in human pulmonary carcinoma and normal bronchial tissue

Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) is a major xenobiotic-metabolizing enzyme but data concerning its extrahepatic expression are few. CYP2E1 can metabolically activate many procarcinogens and therefore its presence in the lung might play a role in bioactivation of procarcinogens, so we studied the expression and localization of CYP2E1 in primary pulmonary carcinomas and surrounding normal bronchial tissue from 28 patients. Seromucous glands showed expression of CYP2E1 in 19 and bronchial epithelium in 18 of the 28 samples of normal bronchial tissue. Thirteen of the corresponding cases of primary pulmonary carcinoma showed staining for CYP2E1. In 11 of these 13 cases, CYP2E1 was also present in normal bronchial tissue. There was no statistically significant difference in the expression of CYP2E1 between adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. No association was observed between the expression of CYP2E1 in tumour tissue and normal bronchial tissue. However, there was a significant correlation between the expression of CYP2E1 in seromucous glands and bronchial epithelium (r=0.61, P<0.01) of normal tissue. We conclude that CYP2E1 can be present in both normal and neoplastic bronchial tissue.     

Immunohistochemical detection of the Wilms' tumour gene WT1 in desmoplastic small round cell tumour

The desmoplastic small round cell tumour (DSRCT) is a rare, highly malignant neoplasm usually presenting in the abdomen of adolescent males. A characteristic translocation between the Ewing's sarcoma gene on chromosome 22 and the Wilms' tumour gene WT1 on chromosome 11 has been described, producing a fusion gene with expression of the DNA binding area of WT1. Some Wilms' tumour antibodies recognize epitopes of this part of the WT1 protein. All four cases of DSRCT examined showed strong staining of the tumours with an anti-WT1 antibody, suggesting this may be useful in the diagnosis of these tumours.