Immunohistochemical demonstration of toxoplasma antigen in the placenta of cases of abortion

The sera of 65 women presenting with abortion and 30 women with normal obstetric history were examined for Toxoplasma antibodies using IHAT. The level of Toxoplasma antibodies was significantly higher in cases of abortion than in normal control. Sixteen formalin fixed paraffin- embedded placenta [representing negative and positive cases for toxoplasmosis] were examined by immunoperoxidase procedure to detect Toxoplasma antigen in tissues. They were also examined histopathologically [by HX and E.]. Toxoplasma antigen could be detected in the placenta of all cases with high titer. In all sero- negative cases, Toxoplasma antigen could not be detected. Out of six cases with low or moderate titer, one case only showed Toxoplasma antigen in the placenta. The histopathological studies of seropositive cases revealed a picture of villitis in the form of slight villous oedema with scattered mononuclear cellular infiltration mainly of lymphocytes and plasma cells. The data proved the usefulness of immunoperoxidase procedure as a specific and sensitive test to confirm the diagnosis of serologically positive toxoplasmosis in high titer

Detection of toxoplasma antigen in the tonsils among cases of chronic tonsillitis using immunoperoxidase technique

Sera of 80 cases of chronic tonsillitis and 30 normal controls were examined for Toxoplasma antibodies by the indirect immunofluorescent antibody titer were found to be higher in patients than in the control group. An indirect immunoperoxidase technique was applied to all cases of tonsillitis [seropositive and seronegative] to detect Toxoplasma antigen in the tissues. They were also examined histopathologically [by Hx. and E]. Toxoplasma antigen was detected in 69% of seropositive cases and in only 2% of seronegative cases. All cases with antibody titer of 1/128 or more showed Toxoplasma antigen in their tissues. The histopathological picture of tonsils of positive cases of toxoplasmosis showed the characteristic features of toxoplasmic lymphadenitis. The results of this work showed the usefulness of immunoperoxidase technique as a valuable and reliable test to confirm the diagnosis of serologically and histologically suspicious cases of toxoplasmic lymphadenitis

Laminin and fibronectin expression in breast carcinomas

Fourty nine cases of breast cancer were stained for laminin and fibronectin. These cases include 41 cases of invasive duct carcinoma [IDC], 6 cases of invasive lobular carcinoma [ILC], one intraduct carcinoma and one tubular carcinoma. Laminin loss was more frequently associated with poor tumour differentiation, being lost in 70.6% and 72 .7% of tumours of histologic grade II and III respectively as compared to 61.5% of tumors of grade I. Also laminin loss was associated with increased incidence of lymph node metastases. Lymph node metastases were present in 60% of laminin negative tumours compared to 38.5% of tumours with preserved although abnormal laminin. These findings point to a probable good prognostic value for laminin preservation in invasive breast cancer. However the presence of laminin in some cases of grade III with >/= 4 lymph node metastases open discussion about a possible role for laminin in promoting invasion and metastases in some cases of breast cancer. A scanty or absent fibronectin was found in the majority of ILC [5/6] in contrast to prominent diffuse stromal staining for fibronectin in 27 out of 41 cases of IDC. This difference in fibronectin staining may be related to the characteristic infiltrating pattern and different behaviour of lLC

Vimentin expression in malignant versus benign breast lesions

Benign breast lesions [16 cases] and breast carcinoma [39 cases] were stained for vimentin and cytokeration in consecutive sections. Occasional vimentin staining in less than 5% of breast epithelium was considered as a variant of normal. Vimentin positivity in 5% of epithelial cells was present in one case of fibrocystic disease with moderate epitheliosis as compared to 7 cases of IDC. ILC and intraduct carcinomas were vimentin negative. Vimentin positivity was found preferentially in histologic grade III [36.4%] as compared with grade II [13.3%] and grade I [10%]. Also vimentin positive tumours were associated with increased lymph node metastases [71.4% in vimentin positive tumours versus 51.6% in vimentin negative tumours]. Although the number of vimentin positive cases was small, the extent and intensity of staining were impressive and may be of biological impact on tumour behaviour as suggested from the preferential expression of vimentin in tumours with high histologic grade and more incidence of lymph node metastases. Also the knowledge of the group of epithelial tumours expressing vimentin, with breast cancer as a recent member in this group, is of considerable importance when using vimentin as a marker of cells of mesodermal origin only