The lymphoid system. Its normal architecture and the potential for understanding the system through the study of lymphoproliferative diseases

Immunohistopathologic study on carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-like material and immunoglobulin A in gastric malignancies

Immunofluorescent staining for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-like material and immunoglobulin A (IgA) was performed on 54 gastric specimens showing normal mucosa and various lesions including malignancy. Both CEA-like material and IgA were demonstrated in normal mucosa and benign and malignant epithelial lesions. Abnormal findings in respect to CEA-like material included staining of cell membranes with disordered pattern and increased cytoplasmic staining. Several staining characteristics for CEA-like material were shown by various types of malignant epithelial tumors. This staining provides a means of distinguishing anaplastic carcinoma from histiocytic lymphoma, as the latter does not demonstrate CEA-like material. IgA was consistently absent in anaplastic carcinomas, but was noted on the inner surface of tubular components in the differentiated adenocarcinomas, indicating functional preservation in the differentiated tumors. Immunohistochemical staining for CEA-like material and IgA is considered to be useful in the structural and functional study of gastric malignancies.

Endothelium-associated IgG in the post-capillary venules of the lymphatic tissues in mice bearing experimental neoplasia

Post-capillary venules (PVC) of the lymph nodes and Peyer's patches were studied in frozen sections stained with an indirect immunoperoxidase technique to demonstrate their endothelium-associated IgG in DBA/2 mice bearing mastocytoma. The previously established three types of IgG-distribution (luminal, intraendothelial and basement membrane site), each confined to one of the three PCV grades (graded on the basis of the endothelial cell height), were found in these tumor-bearing mice, too. This finding shows that the tool applied in T-lymphocyte deprivation, be it a tumor or anti-theta-globulin, does not influence the behavior of this IgG-distribution profile. This fact lends further support to the thesis that the endothelium-associated IgG could be involved in the regulation of the T-cell passage through the wall of the post-capillary venules.

Immunoblastic lymphosarcoma: a light, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopic study

Immunoblastic lymphosarcoma (ILS) is a newly recognized malignant lymphoreticular neoplasm and is included in the recent W.H.O. classification of lymphomas. This report concerns six cases of ILS studied by light, immunofluorescence (IF), and electron microscopy (EM). Four patients were female and all except one were over 50 years of age. Four patients had some immunological abnormality. Light microscopy showed a monomorphic population of immunoblasts with pyroninophilic cytoplasm and variable plasmacytoid differentiation. Intracytoplasmic IgG was demonstrated by IF in four cases, and IgA in one. Large lymphoid cells with varying proportions of polysomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus were seen by EM in four cases. Mean survival was 4.8 months in five cases; death in four was due to disseminated ILS. We concluded that our cases of ILS are of B cell origin, are often associated with immunological abnormalities, and carry a poor prognosis. Immunofluorescence and EM are helpful in its diagnosis.

Post-capillary venules of the mouse lymphatic tissues with special reference to the distribution of their endothelial IgG

Post-capillary venules (PCV) of the lymph nodes and Peyer's patches were studied in frozen sections stained with an indirect immunoperoxidase technique to demonstrate their endothelium-associated IgG in DBA/2 mice rendered T-lymphocyte depleted with anti-theta- and anti-thymus-globulins. Three types of IgG-distribution (luminal, intraendothelial and basement membrane, types I, II and III, respectively), each confined to one of the three PCV grades (graded on the basis of the endothelial cell height), could be distinguished. The PCV grades, on the other hand, were closely correlated with the degree of T-lymphocyte depletion. The significance of this intimate relationship between the IgG-distribution pattern and the PVC grades was discussed in regard to the T-lymphocyte recirculation. A hypothesis was presented describing the presumed sequence of events involved in the passage of T-lymphocytes through the endothelium of the PCV which is the crucial step in their recirculation from blood of the lymphatic tissue.

Biology of the human malignant lymphomas. IV. Functional characterization of ten diffuse histiocytic lymphoma cell lines

Ten consecutive diffuse histiocytic lymphoma (DHL) cell lines established in our laboratory were studied for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genomes, lysozyme, nonspecific esterase and other cytochemical reactions, phagocytic activity, cytoplasmic immunoglobulin light and heavy chains, and surface receptors to sheep erythrocytes, complement, and the Fc fragment of immunoglobulin. In agreement with previous studies performed on biopsy specimens, our results indicate that the diffuse histiocytic lymphomas, as a histopathologic entity, represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasms, the majority of which are B-lymphocyte in origin. The cell lines appear to fall into three categories based on the following criteria: 1) presence of monoclonal cytoplasmic immunoglobulins (B-lymphocytic type, 6/10 cell lines); 2) presence of non-specific esterase, phagocytic activity, and/or lysozyme (histiocytic type, 2/10 cell lines); and 3) absence of all lymphoid and histiocytic cell characteristics (null cell type, 2/10 cell lines). Despite the fact that many of the lymphoma patients had positive serologies to EBV antigens, all of the DHL cell lines were negative for the presence of EBV genomes. Both of the two B-lymphocytic type and one of the two histiocytic type lines tested were susceptible to infection with EBV, as indicated by synthesis of early antigen and also, in a small proportion of the infected cells, of viral capsid antigen. These prototypic DHL cell lines may permit the development of new criteria for the differential diagnosis and treatment of this highly malignant and diverse group of lymphomas.