HIGHER REPRODUCIBILITY OF MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OVER THE COUNTING METHOD FOR INTERPHASE AGNOR QUANTIFICATION

In a series of 40 breast carcinomas, the reproducibility of two different methods for interphase AgNOR quantification was evaluated. Two operators independently defined on each slide the interphase AgNOR quantity both by measuring the area of the silver-stained structures using image cytometry and counting the AgNOR number directly at the microscope. The correlation between the values obtained by the two observers was statistically significant, but the correlation coefficient between AgNOR areas (r = 0.79; P < 0.001) was greater than that between AgNOR numbers (r = 0.38; P = 0.014). On the other hand, when interphase AgNOR area and number values obtained by each observer were compared, no significant correlation was found. This study has demonstrated that the two different methods for interphase AgNOR quantification are not comparable, and that morphometric analysis is more objective and reproducible than the counting method

ONCOGENES AND GROWTH FACTORS IN OVARIAN EPITHELIAL TUMORS.

The present data underline the existence of over-expression of several oncogenes in common epithelial tumours. The detection of oncogene expression in ovarian tumours may be useful in predicting tumor prognosis, and in determining genetic relationships between histologically similar but clinically dissimilar tumor types

Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and breast carcinoma: correlation with cell proliferation indices and clinical outcome

There is preliminary evidence that polymorphism of apolipoprotein E (apoE, protein; APOE, gene), one of the key regulatory proteins in cholesterol metabolism, influences the pathobiology of carcinoma of the colon, prostate and breast and also primary tumours of the brain. This study was designed to determine whether APOE polymorphism is related to variation in the rate of tumour cell proliferation and clinical outcome in carcinoma of the breast. One hundred and eleven infiltrating ductal carcinomas, for which follow up data were available, were included in the study. Estrogen and progesterone receptor status (ER, PR) cell proliferation index (MIB-1) and APOE genotypes were determined from paraffin-embedded tissue by standard methods. Positive correlations were found between grade and tumour size, grade and presence of metastasis, grade and MIB-1 expression, as well as between ER and PR. Survival correlated inversely with tumour size and the presence of positive lymph nodes. Both steroid receptors correlated inversely with MIB-1 expression. PR positive status also correlated inversely with high histological grade and presence of lymph node metastases. APOE allele frequencies resembled those of the general population. No significant associations were found between possession of either APOE epsilon2 or epsilon4 alleles and the parameters investigated. Although there is evidence to suggest that APOE epsilon4 may predispose to the development of carcinoma of the breast our data do not support the hypothesis that APOE genotype influences the rate of tumour cell proliferation or the clinical course

Spitz nevus is relatively frequent in adults - A clinico-pathologic study of 247 cases related to patient's age

Spitz nevus is a clinico-pathologic entity that can cause diagnostic concern, particularly in adults. Many studies have been performed to establish reliable histologic criteria, in the attempt to differentiate this lesion from melanoma. A series of 247 Spitz nevi, 6 of which were formerly classified as melanomas, were reviewed for clinical and histopathological parameters. Patients older than 20 comprised 66% of cases, with a predominance of women. The lower extremity was more affected in females of any age, whereas the trunk was more frequently involved in men over 40. Histopathologic examination showed the following differences among Spitz nevi related to age: acanthosis, parakeratosis, pagetoid infiltration, and Kamino bodies were more frequent in young people, whereas multinucleated melanocytes were more frequent in adults. The latter also had lesions that were less pigmented, with less maturation and more desmoplasia. At a mean follow-up of 94 months (range 52-172), recurrence at the site of biopsy or metastases were absent. In our study, a greater proportion of Spitz nevi occurred in adults than in previous series. Moreover, the relative incidence of Spitz nevus compared with melanoma in our population was higher than in other studies. Histopathologic criteria elaborated to diagnose Spitz nevus, applied to our cases, appeared reliable, allowing a correct diagnosis, even in adults

Estrous cycle- and acute stress-related changes of rat ovarian immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing factor.

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), the major regulator of the stress response within the central nervous system, is also present at peripheral sites, including the gonads, and the gene encoding its own receptor can be finely induced in selective ovarian compartments in both control and stressful conditions during the gonadal life cycle. The present study, therefore, investigated the influence of both gonadal function and estrous cycle on the immunoreactive CRF (irCRF) contents in the immature and adult rat ovary. In addition, the effect of an acute (5 min) or chronic intermittent (twice a day for 4 days) cold swimming stress on ovarian irCRF contents was evaluated. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gel-chromatography (Sephadex G-75, 45 x 1 cm) and a direct radioimmunoassay were performed to measure irCRF ovarian contents. The HPLC elution profile of irCRF in ovarian tissues of adult rats was superimposable on that of synthetic rat/human CRF and gel-chromatograms performed according to the phase of the estrous cycle revealed higher irCRF contents at proestrus. Total irCRF ovarian content was undetectable both in control and acute stressed immature rats, while adult rats showed the highest values at proestrus (p < 0.0001). The acute stress exposure induced a significant increase (p < 0.0001) of irCRF ovarian contents only at proestrus, without affecting irCRF at the other phases of the estrous cycle. Finally, no significant changes were found in ovarian irCRF after chronic intermittent stress. The proestrus-related changes of ovarian irCRF, confirming the adult ovary as an extrahypothalamic source of CRF, may constitute a neuropeptidergic signal involved in the gonadal reproductive cycle. Furthermore, the stress-related changes of ovarian irCRF indicated that the gonad may be locally sensitive to acute stressful stimuli