ABSTRACT
The enzyme histochemical reactions for acetylcholinesterase, lactic dehydrogenase, succinic dehydrogenase and nitroxide synthase are currently the gold standards for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal motility disorders. The acetylcholinesterase staining reaction shows the cholinergic nerve fibre network of the muscularis mucosae and muscularis propria, and correlates with their acetylcholinesterase activity. Lactic dehydrogenase, succinic dehydrogenase and nitroxide synthase selectively demonstrate the nerve cells of the myenteric and submucous plexus. These enzyme histochemical techniques require fresh, native tissue. Consequently, the transport of biopsies from gastroenterology or surgery to pathology must be well organized and feasible without time loss. Alternatively, biopsies may be mailed on dry ice to more distant pathology institutes. The enzyme histochemical laboratory technique has been optimized and refined over four decades. The optimized reactions are highly reliable and reproducible. In particular, a standardized methodology is a prerequisite for the interinstitutional comparability of results. This laboratory manual provides a detailed methodological description of the most important enzyme histochemical reactions for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal motility disorders.
Subject(s)
Gastrointestinal Diseases/diagnosis , Gastrointestinal Motility/physiology , Acetylcholinesterase/analysis , Biomarkers/analysis , Gastrointestinal Diseases/classification , Gastrointestinal Diseases/enzymology , Gastrointestinal Diseases/pathology , Histocytochemistry , Humans , L-Lactate Dehydrogenase/analysis , Nitric Oxide Synthase/analysis , Succinate Dehydrogenase/analysisABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The reliability of immunocytochemical evaluation of proliferation activity was tested using the monoclonal antibody MIB-1 on cytologic specimens. STUDY DESIGN: The study comprised 83 frozen tissue smears (FTSs) and 51 fine needle aspirates (FNAs) from 119 breast cancer patients. MIB-1 labeling indexes (LIs) were compared with various tumor parameters assessed on histologic material. RESULTS: MIB-1 LIs established on cytologic smears were significantly different in ductal and lobular carcinomas (P = .024) and correlated significantly with mitotic activity (P < .0001), histologic grade (P < .0001) and S-phase fraction (P < .0001). Essentially the same results were obtained on FTSs and FNAs. CONCLUSION: Proliferative activity can reliably be evaluated by FNA cytology, and the evaluation of MIB-1 LIs may complement cytologic grading of breast cancer. The evaluation of proliferation activity may, therefore, contribute to the selection of candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy.
