ABSTRACT
B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia [B-CLL] is typically a low grade neoplasm with a diploid DNA index and low proliferative activity. Interleukin-2 receptor [IL-2 R/CD[25]] positivity often indicates increased proliferative activity and activation in both T and B lymphocytes. The argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions [AgNORs] are loops of DNA identified by a silver staining technique and have been correlated with ploidy and proliferative activity. Two AgNOR counting methods have been previously shown to correlate with DNA ploidy and proliferative activity. The mean AgNOR count [mAgNOR] correlates more with ploidy and the percentage of nuclei with >/= 5 AgNORs / nucleus [pAgNOR] reflects proliferative activity. Bone marrow specimens were obtained from 20 patients with newly diagnosed B-CLL, they were subjected to AgNOR silver stain and expression of IL-2R [CD[25]]. All tumors were CD[5+9] CD[19+9] CD[20+0]. Ten tumors were IL-2R -ve [< 20%, IL-2R + B cells] and 10 were IL-2R + ve [>/= 20%, IL-2R + B cells]. There was also a preponderance of lambda light chain expression in the IL-2R +ve tumors [7/10] compared with IL-2R -ve cases [3/10]. Except for one case, all tumors had mAgNOR counts within the diploid range [<2.4]. The ten IL-2R - ve tumors had pAgNOR in the range of 1% to 7% [mean 3.5 +/- 2.12%], whereas the IL-2R +ve tumors had significantly higher pAgNOR ranging from 6 to 15% [mean 10.9 +/- 2.99%] p < 0.001. This finding suggests that IL-2R +ve B-CLL might represent a subgroup of tumors with higher proliferative activity. Also the study indicates that silver staining technique could reliably be used as an alternative method of cell kinetic analysis when the material available is not suitable for assessment by other methods such as now cytometry, Ki[-67] labeling index or IL-2R expression. It is a simple, cheap and available to every laboratory
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Receptors, Interleukin-2/blood , Antigens, NuclearABSTRACT
Thirty patients with pleural effusions; 15 with malignant effusion and 15 with nonmalignant effusion were studied. Liver function tests were normal in both groups of patients. Pleural fluid total white count, lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear cells were significantly higher in nonmalignant than malignant groups, while pleural fluid protein content in malignant group was more often in the range of concentrations found in nonmalignant group. This showed that the rise in protein content of pleural fluid is not specific and can not discriminate malignant form nonmalignant pleural effusion. Fibronectin [FN] and cholesterol contents in malignant pleural effusion were significantly higher than nonmalignant pleural effusion. Also, pleural fluid FN in malignant group was higher than its serum level. No correlation was found between the pleural fluid FN and its serum level in both groups which shows that pleural fluid FN is not only due to simple exudation from plasma, and it may be in part produced locally. No correlation was found between pleural effusion FN and cholesterol and the protein content in both groups of patients. A good positive correlation was found between pleural effusion FN and cholesterol content in malignant group. So, this work showed that the measurement of pleural effusion FN offers a good discrimination and a higher differential diagnostic efficiency for malignant effusion superior to the conventional protein determination
Subject(s)
Humans , Pleural Effusion, Malignant/bloodABSTRACT
Fifteen patients with chronic renal failure [CRF] on maintenance hemodialysis [HD] and 15 healthy subjects as controls, were studied for the respiratory burst activity of both polymorphonuclear cells [PMNC] and monocytes by measuring the chemiluminescence [CL] after stimulation by zymosan and the superoxide anion after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate [PMA], respectively. Also, monocyte capacity to synthesize and release of interleukin-1 after stimulation by lipopolysaccharides [LPS] was investigated. CL activity by PMNC was significantly higher, while the superoxide anion generation by monocytes was significantly lower in patients on HD than the controls. IL-1 release by monocytes was significantly lower in patients when compared to the controls. So, this study showed that monocytes of patients with CRF on HD have depressed functions as regards the phagocytic activity and the capacity to synthesize and release the monokine IL-1. Also, the PMNC showed an increase in the generation of reactive oxygen metabolites. These could contribute to the enhanced susceptibility to infection and to some of the acute and long term complications observed in these patients