Are we reporting ileal pouch biopsies correctly?

AIM: The accuracy of ileo-anal pouch biopsy reporting was assessed. METHOD: The pathology reports of 100 consecutive pouch biopsies were reviewed to assess the accuracy and consistency with which the St Mark's histological scoring criteria were applied. The quality of pouch biopsy sampling and provision of clinical and endoscopic information on pathology request forms was also assessed. RESULTS: In 27% of cases no relevant endoscopic or clinical information was provided with the pathology request form. Separately labelled biopsies from the prepouch ileum, pouch and columnar cuff were submitted in only 4% of cases. In 32% of pathology reports, no acute or chronic St Mark's score was included. In 2% of cases the St Mark's scoring criteria were applied inappropriately. Twenty per cent of cases histologically diagnosed as pouchitis did not include a numerical score. In 30% of cases diagnosed histologically as pouchitis, an acute inflammatory score of < 4 (i.e. insufficient for this diagnosis) was included in the report. CONCLUSION: Pouchitis is a combined clinical, endoscopic and histological diagnosis. The correct interpretation and application of the St Mark's histological scoring criteria for pouch biopsies is an important part of this diagnostic process.

Expression of the p53 homologue p63alpha and deltaNp63alpha in normal and neoplastic cells.

A burgeoning family of p53-related genes have been described recently, including p73 and p63. Both these genes encode proteins with many similarities to p53 but also with the potential for forming a range of related species by alternative promoter usage and alternative splicing. In order to begin the characterization of p63, we generated a polyclonal serum (designated SC1) that recognizes the C-terminus of p63alpha. We have shown that this reagent recognizes p63alpha but not p53 nor p73. By western blot analysis both p63alpha and the N-terminal truncated form of p63alpha (DeltaNp63alpha) were found in a range of cell lines. Similar immunoblot analysis of tissues reveals considerable complexity with at least four SC1-immunoreactive isoforms being identified. In immunohistological studies SC1 immunoreactivity is widely detectable, being predominantly associated with proliferative compartments in epithelia. However, non-proliferative populations can also show SC1 immunostaining. No simple relationship between the isoforms identified by immunoblotting of tissue lysates and the tissue immunostaining characteristics was identified. A previously unrecognized species intermediate in mobility between p63alpha and DeltaNp63alpha was found in several tissues, including nerve and peripheral blood lymphocytes. Interestingly, there is suppression of p63alpha expression in HaCat cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner after UV and MMS treatment. Our data provide further information about the complexity of p63 and the SC1 serum will prove to be a useful tool in further studies of this p53 homologue.