OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of cytokeratins (CK) in the normal human gingival epithelium and to explore the difference between junctional epithelium (JE), oral epithelium (OE) and sulcular epithelium (SE).

METHODSTeeth specimens with gingival tissue were collected from 5 people. Paraffin-embedded sections were stained with monoclonal antibodies responded respectively to human CK5/6, 7, 8/18, 10/13, 16, 17, 19, 20.

RESULTSCK7 and 17 was not expressed in all strata of JE, OE and SE. CK5/6 and 20 were weekly or moderately expressed in the suprabasal, and not expressed in the basal layer of all three epithelia. CK10/13 and 16 were positive in all strata of JE and in the suprabasal layers of OE and SE. CK10/13 was moderately to strongly expressed and CK16 was weekly to moderately expressed. The staining for CK19 was intense in all strata of JE and the basal layer of OE and SE. There was a remarkable demarcation between JE and SE. The pattern of CK8/18 expression was similar to that of CK19, but was weaker. Besides the basal layer, some suprabasal layers close to the basal layer were stained.

CONCLUSIONSJE is an unique non-differentiated stratified epithelium different from OE and SE. CK19 would be a histological marker and CK10/13, 16 would be the cellular markers to differentiate JE from OE and SE.

Epithelial Attachment ; cytology ; metabolism ; Gingiva ; metabolism ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Mouth Mucosa ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: Research of the hair damage due to perming, combing and stretching can be of important value for forensic hair individual identification. METHODS: The normal human hairs were treated with perming combing and stretching, and the keratins of the damage hair were analysed by using SDS-PAGGE and laser densimeter. RESULTS: Perming, combing and stretching brought about hair damage; The keratins of the damage hair were obviously reduced at the rang of molecular weight of 67,000-43,000 dalton. CONCLUSION The loss of the damage hair keratins were increased with the degree of the hair damage.
Adult ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Hair/physiopathology* ; Hot Temperature/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Keratins/metabolism*

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of plurihormonal PIT1-lineage pituitary neuroendocrine tumors. Methods: Forty-eight plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumors were collected between January 2018 and April 2022 from the pathological database of Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University. The related clinical and imaging data were retrieved. H&E, immunohistochemical and special stains were performed. Results: Out of the 48 plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumors included, 13 cases were mature PIT1-lineage tumors and 35 cases were immature PIT1-lineage tumors. There were some obvious clinicopathological differences between the two groups. Clinically, the mature plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumor mostly had endocrine symptoms due to increased hormone production, while a small number of immature PIT1-lineage tumors had endocrine symptoms accompanied by low-level increased serum pituitary hormone; patients with the immature PIT1-lineage tumors were younger than the mature PIT1-lineage tumors; the immature PIT1-lineage tumors were larger in size and more likely invasive in imaging. Histopathologically, the mature PIT1-lineage tumors were composed of large eosinophilic cells with high proportion of growth hormone expression, while the immature PIT1-lineage tumors consisted of chromophobe cells with a relatively higher expression of prolactin; the mature PIT1-lineage tumors had consistently diffuse cytoplasmic positive staining for keratin, while the immature PIT1-lineage tumors had various expression for keratin; the immature PIT1-lineage tumors showed more mitotic figures and higher Ki-67 proliferation index; in addition, 25.0% (12/48) of PIT1-positive plurihormonal tumors showed abnormal positive staining for gonadotropin hormones. There was no significant difference in the progression-free survival between the two groups (P=0.648) by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Conclusions: Plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumor belongs to a rare type of PIT1-lineage pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, most of which are of immature lineage. Clinically increased symptoms owing to pituitary hormone secretion, histopathologically increased number of eosinophilic tumor cells with high proportion of growth hormone expression, diffusely cytoplasmic keratin staining and low proliferative activity can help differentiate the mature plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumors from the immature PIT1-lineage tumors. The immature PIT1-lineage tumors have more complicated clinicopathological characteristics.
Humans ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; Pituitary Neoplasms/pathology* ; Pituitary Hormones ; Growth Hormone/metabolism* ; Keratins

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; pathology ; Adult ; Breast ; metabolism ; pathology ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Metaplasia ; Mucin-1 ; metabolism ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the abnormalities of human epiderm in keloids and hypertrophic scars.

METHODSBiopsies from ten untreated keloids (duration of disease 3 - 30 years) and ten hypertrophic scars (duration of disease 6 - 10 months) and five normal adult skin specimens. Total RNA was isolated from normal adult skin. A cDNA fragment (base 5941 - 6481 bp) of the full-length human Tenascin-C cDNA was synthesized by polymerase chain reaction and subcloned in pGEM-T-easy. Dioxigen-labeled anti-sense and sense probes were synthesized by using a Sp6/T7 in vitro RNA synthesis kit in the present of Dig-UTP. In situ hybridization was performed on 4% paraformaldehyde-fixed and wax-embedded sections of keloids and hypertrophic scars. NBT-NCIP was used in color detection. Immunohistochemical procedure. The sections were incubated with antibodies (anti-Tenascin-C, anti-CK-16 and anti-Ki-67). Ultrasensitive Streptavidin Peroxidase staining was performed following established procedures.

RESULTSThe study show that the proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes in keloids and hypertrophic scars is very clear. The expressions of Tenascin-C mRNA in keloids epidermal keratinocytes markedly increased in contrast with epidermal keratinocytes of hypertrophic scars and adult skin. The CK-16 and Ki-67 stainings significantly enhanced in the epidermal keratinocytes of keloids and hypertrophic scars.

CONCLUSIONSThe different expressions of Tenascin-C, CK-16 and Ki-67 among normal adult skin, keloids and hypertrophic scars show the abnormalities of epidermal keratinocytes proliferation and differentiation in keloids and hypertrophic scars.

Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Epidermis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Keloid ; metabolism ; pathology ; Keratins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ki-67 Antigen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Tenascin ; genetics ; metabolism

Actins ; metabolism ; Breast ; cytology ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Differentiation ; Female ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Signal Transduction ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism

Aural cholesteatoma is characterized by invading squamous epithelia with altered growth properties. Cytokeratin (CK) expression is affected in epidermal proliferative diseases and represents the alterations of keratinocyte proliferation, differentiation, and migration. In the present study, the intensity of CK immuno-expression was determined, using densitometry at various sites in experimental cholesteatoma in order to characterize changes of keratinocytes. With cholesteatoma formation, CK4, a marker for non-keratinizing epithelia, increased in the suprabasal layers of the annular external auditory canal (EAC) and at the pars tensa indicating an altered differentiation and migration of keratinocytes. CK5/6, a marker of keratinizing squamous epithelium, increased only at the pars tensa of the tympanic membrane, indicating basal keratinocyte hyperplasia. CK1/10 increased in the suprabasal layer at the annular EAC, and at the peripheral pars tensa, indicating increased terminal differentiation of keratinocytes. CK13/16, markers of differentiation and hyperproliferation, increased in suprabasal layer of the EAC, and at the peripheral pars tensa. However, it decreased in the basal layer of the EAC, indicating hyperproliferation and migration of keratinocytes. The findings of this study support the basal cell hyperplasia hypotheses for the pathogenesis of aural cholesteatoma, with regard to hyperproliferation, migration, and an altered differentiation of keratinocytes.
Animals ; Biological Markers ; Cell Division ; Cell Movement ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear/*metabolism/*pathology ; Densitometry ; Gerbillinae ; Keratinocytes/metabolism/pathology ; Keratins/*biosynthesis

A new feather-degrading bacterium was isolated from a local feather waste site and identified as Bacillus subtilis based on morphological, physiochemical, and phylogenetic characteristics. Screening for mutants with elevated keratinolytic activity using N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis resulted in a mutant strain KD-N2 producing keratinolytic activity about 2.5 times that of the wild-type strain. The mutant strain produced inducible keratinase in different substrates of feathers, hair, wool and silk under submerged cultivation. Scanning electron microscopy studies showed the degradation of feathers, hair and silk by the keratinase. The optimal conditions for keratinase production include initial pH of 7.5, inoculum size of 2% (v/v), age of inoculum of 16 h, and cultivation at 23 degrees C. The maximum keratinolytic activity of KD-N2 was achieved after 30 h. Essential amino acids like threonine, valine, methionine as well as ammonia were produced when feathers were used as substrates. Strain KD-N2, therefore, shows great promise of finding potential applications in keratin hydrolysis and keratinase production.
Amino Acids ; biosynthesis ; Bacillus subtilis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Culture Media ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Mutation ; Peptide Hydrolases ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinicopathological features of mucinous adenocarcinoma of salivary glands.

METHODSThe clinical manifestations and histopathological characteristics of 6 cases of mucinous adenocarcinoma of salivary gland were studied by retrospective and routine histopathology and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSFour mucinous adenocarcinoma occurred in palate and 2 in mouth floor. Average age of patients was 60 years (48 - 70) and males were affected more often than females (4:2). Pathologically, the tumor grew with infiltration of surrounding tissues. The tumor consisted of unitary mucinous cells and mucin pool was obvious. The cell pleomorphism and nuclear mitosis were often seen. Some tumors showed acinus-like structure. Tumor cells often formed incomplete duct-like structure and small clusters floating in mucinous pool. There were intracellular mucin and signet ring cells in the tumor. Tumor cells showed positive reaction to PAS, Alcin blue, and some cytokeratin staining.

CONCLUSIONSMucinous adenocarcinoma of salivary gland is a rare malignant tumor which mainly affects palate and mouth floor of older patients. The tumor may originate from acinic cell of mucous acinus or multi-potential cell of salivary gland.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratins ; analysis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Salivary Gland Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Extrafollicular reticulum cells in lymph nodes are heterogeneous. They express cytokeratins, desmin, and/or vimentin as their intermediate filament profile. Using those markers, we undertook an immunohistochemical study of human lymph nodes under various pathologic conditions. Samples included 15 simple reactive lymph nodes, 7 follicular hyperplasia, 1 necrotizing lymphadenitis, 4 tuberculous lymphadenitis, 13 malignant lymphoma (9 non-Hodgkin's and 4 Hodgkin's lymphomas), and 11 metastatic adenocarcinoma. In lymph nodes with follicular hyperplasia, cytokeratin and/or desmin expressing reticulum cells displayed a characteristic dendritic meshwork in the subcapsular, perisinusoidal, and paracortical regions. In other forms reactive lymph nodes, they were similarly distributed but were less prominent. By SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting, cytokeratin polypeptides were identified. In necrotizing lymphadenitis, they were increased and the pattern of distribution was disturbed. In tuberculous lymphadenitis, they were also increased and located at nongranulomatous as well as in perigranulomatous areas. In lymphomas the reticular meshwork was entirely obliterated. Cytokeratin or desmin expressing reticulum cells were rarely seen within tumors. The reticular meshwork was also obliterated in metastatic carcinoma. However, the meshwork was maintained in uninvolved areas. In conclusion, extrafollicular reticulum cells displayed characteristic patterns of distribution under various pathologic conditions, and may be implicated in the pathogenesis of those pathologic conditions in human lymph nodes.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Desmin/metabolism ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Keratins/metabolism ; Lymph Nodes/metabolism/*pathology ; Lymphatic Diseases/metabolism/*pathology ; Vimentin/metabolism