study of HER-2/neu expression and silver binding nucleolar organizer regions [Ag NORs] in perilesional normal salivary gland tissue

Salivary gland neoplasms comprise phenotypically and biologically diverse lesions of uncertain histogenesis. The present study was carried out to assess the immunohistochemical expression of HER-2/neu protein and of silver binding nucleolar organizer regions in normal salivary tissue. Twenty paraffin blocks of salivary tumors containing surrounding normal salivary tissue were used in the study. One section was processed to investigate HER-2/neu protein expression and another section was stained to assess the mean Ag NOR counts in normal salivary tissue. Only two cases of the studied normal salivary tissue showed HER-2/neu expression [10%], which was expressed only in ductal cells with 4.2 +/- 2.1 mean number of reactive cells per five high power fields [HPFs]. Statistically significant [P=0.01] higher mean Ag NOR counts in ductal [2 +/- 0.83] than in acinar cells [1.2 +/- 0.01] of normal salivary tissue were found. It was concluded from the data of the present study that ductal cells of normal salivary tissue are a proliferative pool and an oncogenic target which plays an important role in the histogenesis of salivary gland tumors

Immunohistochemical analysis of P53 protein in odontogenic cysts

The p53 is a well-known tumor suppressor gene, the mutations of which are closely related to the decreased differentiation of cells. Findings of studies on immunohistochemical P53 expression in odontogenic cysts are controversial. The present study was carried-out to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of P53 protein in odontogenic cysts. Thirty paraffin blocks of diagnosed odontogenic cysts were processed to determine the immunohistochemical expression of P53 protein. Nine of the 11 odontogenic keratocysts [81.8%] expressed P53, one of three dentigerous cyst cases expressed P53, while none of the 16 radicular cysts expressed P53 protein. The findings of the present work supported the reclassification of OKC as keratocystic odontogenic tumor

Radioiodine therapy in thyrotoxicosis.

One hundred and two patients (81 females, 21 males) suffering from thyrotoxicosis as diagnosed clinically and confirmed by laboratory investigations including the estimation of thyroid hormones in blood were treated with radioiodine (I-131) at the University of Minnesota Hospital between 1976 and 1986. Nine (9%) patients needed two and 3 (3%) patients needed three therapeutic doses of I-131. The age range of the patients was 17-82 years (mean 43, SD 17). The doses of I-131 administered ranged from 3.9 to 100 mCi (mean 13.7). Twenty of these patients received a relatively high dose from 20 to 100 mCi. The others were given smaller calculated doses based on radioiodine uptake and thyroid size is determined by palpation and nuclear scans. Of the 73 patients for whom follow-up information was available, 66 (90%) eventually became hypothyroid as judged by clinical criteria. These data also suggest that the incidence of hypothyroidism is quite independent of the dose (microCi/g thyroid) administered.