Laboratory and histological similarities between Wilson's disease and rats with copper toxicity.

Rats were injected intraperitoneally with copper-lactate daily for over 160 days (total dose of 30 mg copper in each animal). At 120 to 160 days of copper administration, animals developed symptoms similar to those of Wilson's disease, i.e., kidney functional disturbances, proteinuria, aminoaciduria, decreased blood ceruloplasmin oxidase activity and increased urinary copper excretion. Cirrhosis was found in some animals. Tubular necrosis of the kidneys, liver fibrosis and tigrolysis of thalamic nerve cells were also found. Copper depositions were observed in liver parenchymal cells, renal tubular epithels, thalamus glia cells and on the Descemet's membrane of the cornea. The similarities between induced copper- intoxication in rats and Wilson's disease are discussed.</p

Evaluation of Bronchoalveolar Lavage as a Diagnostic Procedure for Primary Pulmonary B-cell Lymphoma

We evaluated retrospectively the role of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in the diagnosis of primary pulmonary B-cell lymphoma in four patients. Histological examination of transbronchial lung biopsy specimens showed nonspecific infiltration of small lymphocytes. Examination of BAL fluid (BALF) samples showed lymphocytosis in all samples with dominant B-cell in two patients and T-cell in the remaining patients. In two patients only, there was a increase in B-cell bearing IgM light-chain or M-protein in BALF samples. our results suggest that the diagnostic value of BAL in primary pulmonary B-cell lymphoma is limited and that new molecular biological techniques should be adapted for analysis of BALF samples