Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies of Langerhans cells in a case of multiple eccrine spiradenomas

Immunohistochemical characterization of non-epithelial cells in spiradenoma

Spiradenoma is unique with respect to the presence of a large number of non-epithelial cells, including S100 protein(+) cells, most of which are presumably Langerhans cells, in the parenchyma as shown in the published work. However, the characterization of these non-epithelial cells to date is insufficient. Immunohistochemistry of CD1a, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD56, CD68, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and HLA-DR, as well as double-immunofluorescence labeling of S100 protein/CD1a and CD1a/CD3, was performed using paraffin-embedded specimens from five cases of spiradenoma retrospectively. Non-epithelial cells evenly distributed throughout the parenchyma of spiradenoma primarily consisted of CD1a(+) Langerhans cells and CD3(+) T cells. ICAM-1 was expressed by epithelial cells and non-epithelial cells in the parenchyma. HLA-DR on the epithelial cells was limited to the focal area. In double-immunofluorescence labeling, approximately one-half of Langerhans cells were spatially related to T cells in the parenchyma, suggesting their functional interaction.

Painful eccrine spiradenoma containing nerve fibers: a case report

An eccrine spiradenoma is a rare benign tumor most often seen in the head, neck and upper trunk of young adults. Although spontaneous pain or tenderness is a typical symptom of eccrine spiradenomas, the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Here, we report the case of a 47- year-old woman who had a spiradenoma in the subcutaneous tissue of her posterior neck accompanied by agonizing pain which was triggered by pressure. Multiple nodular lesions were excised and the typical histopathological findings of spiradenoma were seen. The histopathological architecture of a disorganized nerve fiber encasing the tumor nodules appeared to correlate with the unique clinical symptom of pain.

Quantitative study of Langerhans cells in basal cell carcinoma with higher or lower potential of local aggressiveness

BACKGROUNDS

Basal cell carcinoma affects areas of the body that have been exposed to the sun, and this disorder has different clinical and histopathologic presentations. Some of these forms have a higher potential of local aggressiveness, while others have a lower potential. Langerhans cells actively participate in the skin immune system.

OBJECTIVES

To quantitatively evaluate the number of Langerhans cells on the epidermis of basal cell carcinoma with lower and higher potential of local aggressiveness and on adjacent normal epidermis.

METHODOLOGY

The authors divided the sample into two groups with 14 histological slides each: one with basal cell carcinoma with lower potential of local aggressiveness and the other with basal cell carcinoma with higher potential of local aggressiveness. Immunohistochemistry with S-100 protein was used in the identification of Langerhans Cells. Langerhans cells present in 7 microscopic fields were counted using optical microscopy (400X magnification) and Weibel's morphometric grade. The mean for each lamina was obtained. Wilcoxon's statistical test was employed.

RESULTS

In the group with lower potential of local aggressiveness, there was a significant increase in the number of Langerhans cells in the adjacent normal epidermis, as compared with the number of cells in the epidermis superposed to the basal cell carcinoma (pd 0.05). There was no significant statistical difference in the group with higher potential of local aggressiveness (p >0.05).

CONCLUSION

The higher number of Langerhans cells in the normal epidermis adjacent to the tumoral lesion with lower potential of local aggressiveness could indicate greater immunological resistance of the epidermis, thus limiting the aggressiveness of the neoplasm.

Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural characterization of the signet-ring cell carcinoma component in a case of urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder

Characterization of the signet-ring cell carcinoma (sig) component of a urothelial carcinoma (UC) in the urinary bladder of a 64-year-old man, obtained by transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TUR-BT), is reported. In the present case, a characteristic sig component was detected in approximately 20% of UC, G2 tissues. The sig cells were morphologically similar to those found in gastric cancers and were positively stained with periodic acid-Schiff reaction and Alcian blue and mucicarmine stains. Immunohistochemically, the sig cells were selectively positive for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), MUC2, and MUC5AC. These immunohistochemical characteristics were similar to those of sig cells in the stomach, except for the positivity with MUC2. It is interesting to note that CAM5.2-positive sig cells were surrounded by CAM5.2-positive UC cells in a solid nest with no apparent associated adenocarcinoma element. In addition, the ultrastructure of sig cells showed multivacuolar cytoplasmic mucin, which proved to be similar to the ultrastructure of gastric cancers. In the present case of UC, G2 was associated with a sig component. Regarding the origin of the sig component in the bladder, it has been suggested that MUC2-positive sig cells in the bladder might be derived directly from metaplasia of UC, without an associated adenocarcinoma component. From this perspective, it may be noteworthy that sig cells in the bladder were selectively positive for MUC2, exhibiting common antigenicity with mucous cells of the gastric intestinal metaplasia. Because UC associated with a sig component carries a worse prognosis than ordinary UC, the presence of the sig component in any UC should be evaluated even within TUR-BT tissues, as in the present case.

Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies of a case of duodenal gangliocytic paraganglioma

Gangliocytic paraganglioma (GPG) is a rare tumor, occurring almost exclusively in the duodenum. In the present case, a submucosal tumor 2.5 x 2 x 1.5 cm in size was located on the anal side of the papilla of Vater, with clear margins and without capsule on cut-surface examination. Tumor cells included three types of cells: ganglion-like cells (GCs), endocrine cells (ECs), and Schwann cells (SCs). The GCs were large with eccentric nuclei with large nucleoli and clear abundant cytoplasm. ECs were detected in small nests, surrounded by bundles of SCs. Immunohistochemically, GCs were positive for synaptophysin, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and CD56. ECs were positive for chromogranin A, NSE, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide, and CD56, and were associated with S100 protein-positive SCs. On fine structural examination, ECs contained numerous membrane-bounded secretory granules, 250-450 nm in diameter, in their cytoplasm, surrounded by a branched, complex basal lamina. SCs possessed basal lamina along their long interlacing cytoplasmic processes. The histogenesis of GPG most likely involves proliferation and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells in the duodenal crypts in the duodenum as a true tumor, although it is also possible that the retroperitoneal components of both GCs and SCs proliferate, together with ECs, from ventral primordial tissue of the pancreas in the duodenum. The immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings of a case of GPG are reported, focusing on three major cellular components: GCs, ECs, and SCs.

Immunohistochemical and electron microscopy studies of a case of hyalinizing trabecular tumor of the thyroid gland, with special consideration of the hyalinizing mass associated with it

Hyalinizing trabecular tumor (HTT) of the thyroid gland is rare and benign, and it neither recurs nor metastasizes. In this lesion, tumor cells are arranged in trabeculae, in association with hyalinizing mass in the stroma. The origin and nature of the hyalinizing mass are still controversial. We report here a case of HTT with cytological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural findings, focused in particular on the hyalinizing mass. Cytologically, tumor cells exhibiting many intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions and nuclear grooves were found in association with light green-positive, irregular, fluffy membranous structures on touch smear. Staining with antibody to collagen type IV was positive in these membranous structures. Histopathologically, tumor cells exhibited many intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions, and were positive for staining with antibodies to S100 protein, neuron-specific enolase, thyroglobulin, and vimentin. The hyalinizing eosinophilic mass, which was positive for PAS reaction, and for staining by antibody to collagen type IV, gradually increased in the areas surrounding tumor cells. This mass then appeared to replace the tumor cells, and exhibited a peculiar filiform pattern. We demonstrated ultrastructurally that this pattern was composed of long, irregular, fine cytoplasmic processes of tumor cells and basal lamina-like substance in the hyalinizing mass. In fact, the homogeneous hyalinizing mass, similar to basal lamina-like substance, contained many degenerated cytoplasmic processes at the ultrastructural level. These results suggested that the key cytological finding in differentiating HTT from papillary carcinoma is the fluffy membranous structure, although nuclear pseudoinclusions are important as well. The filiform pattern noted at light microscopic level consisted of long cytoplasmic processes of tumor cells and hyalinized mass at the ultrastructural level.

A rare case of coexistence of pulmonary adenocarcinoma with Langerhans' cell histiocytosis

We report a rare case of coexisting pulmonary adenocarcinoma and Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH) in a 78-year-old woman who did not smoke. During follow-up of diabetes mellitus, she had complained of chest pain and was found to have a nodular lesion in S9 of the left lower lobe, which was resected surgically. No abnormal laboratory findings were obtained. Before surgical resection, needle biopsy specimens confirmed the existence of adenocarcinoma. The resected tumor in the left lower lobe was 3.0 x 1.8 x 3.0 cm, and histologically both acinar and bronchioloalveolar cell subtypes of adenocarcinoma were found in cancer foci. In addition to pulmonary adenocarcinoma, Langerhans' cell proliferation associated with marked eosinophil infiltration was incidentally found in a small nodule, approximately 3 x 2 mm in size in the subpleural region. The Langerhans' cells contained interdigitated nuclei, exhibiting rather clear nucleoplasm and cytoplasm; they were positive for S-100 protein, CD1a, and also CD4. Massive eosinophil infiltration was found around the focus of Langerhans' cell proliferation. This nodule appeared to be LCH. The adenocarcinoma and LCH were adjacent, and cancer cells were infiltrated only in the peripheral parts of LCH. The coexistence of adenocarcinoma and LCH appeared to be incidental. The association of adenocarcinoma and LCH is rare, and only several reports of it can be found in the English literature.