Enhanced polymer one-step staining (EPOS) for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67 antigen: Application to intra-operative frozen diagnosis

Enhanced polymer one-step staining (EPOS) is a novel, highly sensitive one-step immunostaining method. This simple and rapid technlque was applied to intra-operattve frozen diagnosis. The markers of choice were proliferating cell nuclear anmen (PCNA) and Ki-67 antigen. These cell prollferation markers were both identifiable in fresh frozen see tions of the human tonsil In approximately 7 min. The suitable staining sequences are as follows. Frozen sections prepared using 3-aminopropyitimethoxysilane-cpated glass slides are immediately fixed, without air drying, for 15s in a mixture of 50% formalin and 50% methanol for PCNA, and in 10% formalln for Ki-67 antigen. After a brief rinse in phosphate-buffered saline (PSS), sections are incubated with the EPOS antibody for 3 min, followed by PBS rinse for 1 min. The peroxidase activity is visualized in diaminobenzidine-H₂O₂ solution containing 10mmol/L imidazole for 2 min. After a light rinse in tap water, the nuclei are briefly counterstained with 5% methyl green. When necessary, endogenous peroxi-dase blockage in 1% periodic acid solution for 1 min is added before the EPOS antibody incubation. This procedure is applicable to frozen sections of gastric cancers, malignant lymphomas, and brain, liver and peritoneal lesions in which differential diagnosis between benignancy and malignancy was required.     

Reverse enzyme-linked immunospot assay (RELISPOT) for the detection of cells secreting immunoreactive substances

A reverse modification of the recently described enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT), based on localized enzyme-substrate reactions in gel, is described for the enumeration of antigen-secreting cells using petri dishes coated with specific antibodies. As a model the detection of mouse and human immunoglobulin-secreting cells has been evaluated. Simple and sensitive, this new method, termed RELISPOT, can be adapted for the quantitation of secreted antigen thus providing additional information on the metabolic state of the population of cells tested.     

一个新的人B细胞活化抗原—5C5

用活化人B细胞株3D5细胞免疫小鼠和作为筛选的靶细胞,我们建立了产生单克隆抗体5C5的杂交瘤细胞株。此单抗识别的抗原5C5在25μg/ml anti-μ刺激的B细胞,于第10小时开始表达,亦即于G_1期开始表达。5C5细胞百分率随培养时间而增多。在PWM诱导下.外周血单一核细胞中5C5~ 细胞随培养时间而增加,至第3～4天达最高峰,然后减少,至第7天降至本底水平。5C5~ 细胞在不能为BCDF诱导分化至免疫球蛋白分泌细胞(ISC)的B细胞株3D5,Raji和Daudi阳性,但在能为BCDF诱导分化至ISC的CESS和SKW6细胞却不表达。这均表明5C5抗原表达于B细胞活化的早期和中期,但在B细胞终末分化阶段消失。在休止期B细胞、休止期T细胞、PHA激活的T细胞、单核细胞和中性粒细胞,以及在所检测的T细胞株和髓细胞株,5C5抗原均为阴性。~(125)I标记后用单抗5C5免疫沉淀提取的抗原,在还原与非还原条件下电泳,均只有分子量为52000的一条带,表明5C5是一个单链细胞表面蛋白。鉴于5C5抗原的分子量与文献中已报道的B细胞活化抗原分子量不同,以及5C5在细胞株表达的特点,它可能是一个新的人B细胞活化抗原。     

The cytoskeleton of the myenteric neurons during murine embryonic life

 The organization of the cytoskeleton has been studied during mouse differentiation in cells of the myenteric neuronal lineage. The entire gut was examined starting from day 12.5 of embryonic life (E12.5) until birth (P0). Immunocytochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression of five of the most represented neurofilaments proteins (the low, NF-L, medium, NF-M, and heavy, NF-H, molecular weight subunits, α-internexin and peripherin) and of two of the microtubule-associated proteins (MAP1 and MAP2a+2b). In parallel, the appearance in the differentiating myenteric neurons of filamentous and microtubular structures and their intracytoplasmatic distribution were observed under the electron microscope. A differential immunohistochemical expression of the structural proteins was found. Immature cells expressed α-internexin, peripherin, NF-M and MAP1 by day E12.5; α-internexin expression was strong in these cells, but gradually decreased with age and was practically absent in adulthood. Conversely, the expression of the other three proteins increased with cell differentiation and was still present in adulthood. NF-L and NF-H expression appeared later, by day E16.5, and was weak for the entire pre- and postnatal life. MAP2a+2b was never expressed. Under the electron microscope, at day E12.5 the cytoskeleton was already organized in filamentous and microtubular structures. At this age neurofilaments were few and mainly located in the cell processes, and microtubules were numerous and mainly assembled in the neuritic growth cones, together with synaptic vesicles. With ageing, neurofilaments and microtubules were ubiquitous in the neuron. Data obtained demonstrate that cytoskeletal proteins gradually accumulate in the cells of the neuronal lineage in parallel with the organization of the cytoskeletal structures, which in turn mediate important neural events by the earliest stages of murine embryonic life, including growth of nerve processes and initiation of axonal transport. Accepted: 11 November 1998     

Antigen-Induced Activation of Hypothalamic Cells (assessed by expression of the c-fos gene)

The aim of the present work was to study the activation of the expression of the c-fos gene (by in situ hybridization) in cells from rat (Sprague Dawley) hypothalamic structures 0.5, 2, 6, and 16 h after i.v. injections of tetanus toxoid (200 g/kg). Tetanus toxoid was selected as the antigen because it does not induce any general non-specific body reactions. Control animals received i.v. doses of apyrogenic physiological saline. The number of c-fos mRNA-positive cells in all the hypothalamic structures studied was insignificant 30 min after injections of tetanus toxoid. c-fos mRNA-positive cells were seen in the posterior, lateral, and anterior hypothalamic fields and in the dorsomedial and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei 2 h after injections of tetanus toxoid. The intensity of c-fos mRNA expression decreased in the posterior, lateral, and anterior hypothalamic fields 6 h after injections of tetanus toxoid. The maximum number of c-fos mRNA-positive cells in the anterior field and the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamic induced by tetanus toxoid, as compared with reactions to administration of physiological saline, were seen at 6 h. Administration of tetanus toxoid and physiological saline did not active the synthesis of c-fos mRNA in the arcuate or supraoptic nuclei at any time point. The number of c-fos mRNA-positive cells returned to baseline by 16 h after tetanus toxoid injections. Thus, this study revealed the temporospatial pattern of activation of hypothalamic structures in response to exposure to an antigen.     

Carbohydrate expression profile of colorectal cancer cells is relevant to metastatic pattern and prognosis

Carbohydrate expression of cancer cells is closely related to the metastatic nature of colorectal cancer. In the present study we investigated the relevance of carbohydrate expression profiles of colorectal cancer cells in the primary lesion to metastatic distribution patterns as well as prognosis in 134 cases. Carbohydrate expression was estimated by histochemistry with 17 kinds of lectins and 3 kinds of Lewis-related monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), and correlations between the staining and clinicopathological parameters were examined. The results showed that lymphatic invasion, lymph node metastasis, and peritoneal metastasis correlated with staining with lectins that bind galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine residues (Gal/GalNAc) such as Maclura pomifera (MPA), Arachis hypogaea (PNA), Helix pomatia (HPA), and Vicia villosa (VVA). In contrast, hepatic metastasis correlated with staining with Anguilla anguilla lectin (AAA), anti-Lewis^X (LEX-2), anti-sialyl Lewis^a (NS19-9), and anti-sialyl-dimeric Lewis^X (FH-6) MAbs, all of which bind preferentially to fucosylated carbohydrate chains. The five-year survival rate of patients was related to the staining of cancers with MPA, HPA, FH-6 or NS19-9, and MPA- and FH-6 staining were independent prognostic factors. We conclude that carbohydrate expression profiles of cancer cells are relevant to the route of tumor cell dissemination, metastatic pattern as well as prognosis of colorectal cancer.     

Ontogeny, differentiation and growth of the endocrine pancreas

The pancreas develops from the primitive foregut endoderm, which differentiates into ductal, acinar and endocrine cells. This complex process is probably replicated in the adult pancreas when endocrine cell renewal is required, as may be the case in diabetes mellitus. This review describes what is known about the morphogenesis of the endocrine pancreas during ontogeny and the mechanisms regulating its differentiation and growth. Received: 23 December 1999 / Accepted: 15 February 2000     

Malignant epithelioid haemangioendothelioma of the liver: a clinicopathological and histochemical study of 12 cases

We describe the clinicopathological findings in 12 cases of hepatic epithelioid haemangioendothelioma in order to identify diagnostic and prognostic features of this unusual vascular neoplasm. Three main tumour patterns were observed histologically: (1) a peripheral pattern with neoplastic cells scattered between fairly normal liver cell plates; (2) a cellular pattern showing a confusing admixture of pleomorphic tumour cells and atrophied hepatocytes set in a small amount of fibrous stroma; and (3) a scarred pattern with sparse tumour cells in a dense fibrous matrix. There were two types of vascular invasion: tuft-like intravascular proliferations of epithelioid cells and fibro-thrombotic venous occlusions. Awareness of these different aspects is important, as they are variably sampled by biopsy needles. The clinical course in this series was less favourable than that previously reported. Eight patients have died, in six instances of liver failure within 4-41 months of diagnosis. Extensive involvement of both lobes of the liver heralds imminent hepatic failure. The slow growth of metastases may justify liver transplantation in order to prolong life.     

Nucleotide mutations associated with hepatitis B e antigen negativity

One hundred and forty four patients with chronic hepatitis B were tested to identify new mutations associated with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negativity, using a full genome sequence analysis. All the patients were Chinese and had hepatitis B virus infection of genotype C. Patients with none of the pre-core or core promoter mutations were significantly (P < 0.001) less common in the group with anti-HBe (13%) than in the group with HBeAg (56%). The complete nucleotide sequence was determined in four anti-HBe-positive patients who had neither pre-core nor core promoter mutations and in five HBeAg-positive patients who also had neither of these mutations (the groups were matched for age and sex). Six mutations were found to be significantly more common in the former group than in the latter: G529A (3/4 vs. 0/5), C934A (4/4 vs. 1/5), A1053G (4/4 vs. 1/5), G1915T/A (4/4 vs. 0/5), T2005C/A (4/4 vs. 0/5), and C3026T (3/4 vs. 0/5). Three of the six mutations were significantly more common in the four anti-HBe-positive patients who had neither pre-core nor core promoter mutations, compared to 11 HBeAg-positive patients who had pre-core and core promoter mutations, and also compared to 15 anti-HBe-positive patients who had pre-core and core promoter mutations, suggesting further the specificity of these mutations. Of the six mutations, two resulted in amino acid substitution in the polymerase protein, and one is located near the enhancer I region. The results suggest that the six newly discovered mutations are associated with HBeAg negativity.