The cells of glomerular mesangium is composed mostly of intrinsic contractile mesangial cells and a few macrophages. Injury to the mesangium is central to many glomerular diseases. This study was aimed to evaluate and compare the expressions of alpha-smooth muscle actin (ASMA) and lysozyme in the mesangium of various human glomerular diseases and also of according to the severity of their progressions. We performed immunohistochemical and transmission electromicroscopic examinations in 51 cases of renal biopsy including 5 normal kidneys. The results were as follows; (1) ASMA staining was negligible in normal glomeruli. (2) Increased ASMA staining was observed in the mesangium of glomeruli from all specimens of primary glomerular disease, regardless of their diagnosis. (3) The staining intensity of ASMA in mesangium was mild in minimal change disease and membranous glomerulonephritis, and strong in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), diffuse mesangial hypercellularity, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), and IgA nephropathy (IgAN). (4) The staining intensity of ASMA have no correlation with mesangial immune deposits. (5) The staining intensity of ASMA in mesangium was inversely correlated with the disease progression in FSGS and IgAN. (6) Glomeruli showing global or segmental sclerosis invariably lacked ASMA. (7) Compared with ASMA, the mesangial cells with lysozyme expression were very rare, even though it was in proportion to ASMA staining. Interstitial ASMA expression was confined to fibrotic area in various glomerular diseases. In conclusion, the expression of ASMA and lysozyme in mesangium are increased in a variety of glomerular diseases, regardless of disease entity. Their intensity was in proportion to the mesangial cell proliferation. In progressive glomerulonephritis, such as IgAN and FSGS, the increased expression of ASMA was prominent in the early lesion, and decreased with the progression of the glomerular sclerosis.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Actins* ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Disease Progression ; Glomerular Mesangium ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental ; Humans ; Kidney ; Macrophages ; Mesangial Cells ; Muramidase* ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Nephrosis, Lipoid ; Sclerosis

To evaluate the clinical and histopathological significance of electron dense deposits on capillary in IgA nephropathy, we reviewed and compared the clinical, laboratory, and pathological features of the patients with IgA nephropathy without loop extension of electron dense deposits(Group I, 91 cases) and IgA nephropathy with loop extension(Group II, 17cases) by ultrastructural examination using transmission electron microscope. IgA nephropathy associated with liver disease, Henoch-Schonlein purpura, systemic lupus erythematosus and the other IgA nephropathies associated with systemic diseases were excluded. The results were as follows; 1) There was no significant difference in age distribution. 2) Generalized edema was more common in group II. 3) Nephrotic ranged proteinuria(>3 g/24hr urine) was more prominent in Group II(52.9%) than Group I(8.8%). 4) Among the groups, segmental or mild deposits on the loops were noted in 13 cases, and severe and generalized deposits in 4 cases. Subendothelial deposits were noted in 6 cases, subepithelial deposits in 3 cases, subendothelial with intramembranous deposits in 1 case, subendothelial with subepithelial deposits in 1 case, intramembranous with subepithelial deposits in 2 cases, and subendothelial, subepithelial and intramembranous deposits in 4 cases. 5) The other associated ultrastructural changes of group II were diffuse effacement of foot processes with microvillous transformation, swelling or vacuolar degeneration of podocytes and glomerular endothelium. 6) According to the WHO morphologic criteria, the grade of Group II was significantly higher than Group I. From the above results, it can be concluded that the extension of electron dense deposits along the capillary loops in the cases of IgA nephropathy is highly correlated with proteinuria in the nephrotic ranged. It seems to be a poor prognostic indicator in view of the facts that it correlats with high histopathologic grading.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is known as considerable controversal tumor about it's histogenesis, differentiation and biologic behavior. It is traditionally regarded as smooth muscle tumor. To evaluate and clarify the origin of tumor, we performed immunohistochemical study of 23 cases of GIST on CD34 antigen, alpha-smooth muscle actin, S-100 protein, and compared the result with 4 cases of typical leiomyoma of GI tract. The results were as follows. CD34 antigen expression was noted in 21 cases (91.3%) of GIST, while typical leiomyoma was all negative. There were no difference of CD34 expression according to the biologic behavior. However, it's staining pattern was significantly different (p<0.05). Focal or multifocal expression was dominant in benign GIST (58.3%), while diffuse expression was dominant in malignant GIST (80%). Actin was expressed in 5 cases of benign GIST (38.5%) and 1 of malignant GIST (16.7%) focally. All typical leiomyoma showed diffuse strong positivity on alpha-smooth muscle actin. S-100 protein was expressed in 2 cases of benign GIST (16.7%) only. The pattern of CD34 expression was focal in the actin or S-100 protein positive cases. In conclusion CD34 antigen is useful marker in the separation of GIST, from typical smooth muscle tumor. Also it suggest that most GISTs are histogenetically primitive mesenchymal cell origin. However, CD34 expression was unrelated with biologic behavior of GIST.
Actins ; Antigens, CD34* ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Leiomyoma ; S100 Proteins ; Smooth Muscle Tumor

Melanosis coli is characterized by a dark brownish discoloration of the colonic mucosa. Its pathogenesis is still unknown. Recently it was proposed that the apoptosis of mucosal epithelium due to habitual use of laxatives play an important role for induction of melanosis coli. We studied clinicopathologic aspects of 12 cases of melanosis coli and analysed the histochemical and immunohistochemical characteristics of them. Results are as follows. : Mean patient's age was 53.5, and the male:female ratio was 4:8. Nine patients had a history of constipation, and all of these had administrated various kinds of laxatives. The severity of discoloration was correlated with the duration of constipation and age. There was no difference of anatomical distribution in colon. Other remarkable mucosal lesions were not accompanied. On pathologic examination, all cases showed frequent yellow-brown pigment laden cells in lamina propria. These pigments were positive for periodic acid Schiff stains, Fontana Masson stains, and Victoria blue stains, however they were negative for prussian blue stain. On immunohistochemical stainings pigmented cells were positive for CD68, and negative for S-100 protein and neuron specific enolase. These results indicate that they are macrophages. On ultrastructural examination pigmented cytoplasms were filled with variable sized electron dense granules including irregulary round deformed membranous structures, lipid vacuoles. Apoptosis of mucosal epithelium was noted in 5 cases. These findings suggest that apoptosis is the significant pathologic process in the progression of some cases of melanosis coli.
Female ; Male ; Humans

No abstract available.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* ; Korea*

Transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is the most common cancer of the urinary tract and is characterized by frequent recurrence. Like the other malignant tumor, the genetic alterations leading to neoplastic transformation of the urothelium are related with the activation of oncogenes and loss of functional tumor suppressor genes. Cyclin D1 is a putative protooncogene as cell cycle regulator essential for G1 phase progression and is frequently overexpressed in several human tumor. In this study we performed immunohistochemical stainings of cyclin D1 and p53 in both primary and recurrent transitional cell carcinomas of urinary bladder from 56 patients including 20 cases of recurrent tumor, and compared their results with histopathologic features. The results were as follows. Cyclin D1 immunoreactivity was found in 10 of 10 cases (100%) of grade 1, 25 of 41 (61%) cases of grade 2, and 11 of 25 (44%) cases of grade 3 transitional cell carcinomas. p53 immunoreactivity was found in 40% of grade 1, 63% of grade 2, and 87% of grade 3 lesions. Cyclin D1 expression was significantly higher in Ta and T1 lesions than T2 to T4 by pathologic tumor stage. Conversely p53 immunoreactivity was increased in proportion to the T classification. Cyclin D1 was de creased in recurrent transitional cell carcinomas, compared with primary transitional cell carcinomas. However, there was no statistical significance. In conclusion, cyclin D1 immunoreactivity is associated with low histologic grade and low tumor stage. And there is inverse relationship between the cyclin D1 and p53 overexpression.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* ; Cell Cycle ; Classification ; Cyclin D1* ; Cyclins* ; G1 Phase ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Oncogenes ; Recurrence ; Urinary Bladder* ; Urologic Neoplasms ; Urothelium

The purpose of this study was to determine the immunohistochemical expression of nm23-H1, a putative metastatic suppressor gene, and to correlate its expression with clinicopathologic variables in 75 cases of surgically resected colorectal carcinomas. There appeared to be a trend between increasing relative nm23 protein expression and Dukes' stage, vessel invasion, and metastasis of lymph nodes. nm23 was expressed in 67 cases (89.3%) and increased in cases with lower Dukes' stage (P<0.05) and in cases without vessel invasion (P<0.01) or lymph node metastasis (P<0.01). No significant relationship was observed between the nm23 protein expression and other parameters, such as tumor size, location and differentiation of the tumor. The results suggest that the nm23 protein expression plays a role in the suppression of nodal metastasis and vessel invasion in colorectal carcinomas.
Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Genes, Suppressor ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis

No abstract available.
Leukocytes*

No abstract available.
Erythrocytes*

No abstract available.
Erythrocytes*