Biomedical subjects

R Volpe

Publications and source records attributed to R Volpe.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Immunohistochemistry of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas with emphasis on the diagnostic significance of the BNH9 antibody reactivity with anaplastic large cell (CD30 positive) lymphomas.

BACKGROUND: Morphologic and immunohistologic studies were performed on a series of 213 lymphoma cases, including CD30-positive anaplastic large cell (ALC) lymphomas (45 cases), other CD30-positive (18 cases) or CD30-negative (72 cases) non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), cases of Hodgkin disease (HD) (73 cases), and an additional 5 cases exhibiting features of both CD30-positive ALC and Hodgkin lymphomas. METHODS: The aim was to assess differential expression by tumor cells of CD30/BerH2, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), and other monoclonal antibodies, including BNH9, an epithelial and endothelial marker that has been found to be reactive with ALC lymphoma cells. RESULTS: A significantly greater proportion of cases of ALC lymphoma compared with HD exhibited positive results for CD45, EMA, CD45RO, and CD3 in CD30-positive atypical large cells, whereas Reed-Sternberg cells in HD most frequently coexpressed CD15 and CD30 antigens. ALC lymphoma cells reacted with BNH9 MoAb in 10 of the 42 (23.8%) assessable cases, whereas Reed-Sternberg cells reacted with this antibody in 5 of 73 (6.8%) HD cases. Only 3 of 90 (3.3%) NHL cases had positive results for BNH9; they were CD30-negative high-grade or low-grade lymphomas. It was noteworthy that 9 of 10 BNH9-positive ALC lymphomas also were EMA positive. Four of the five cases with morphologic features intermediate between those of HD and ALC lymphoma showed immunohistologic findings (positive results for CD30 and CD15, negative results for EMA, CD45, and BNH9) similar to those frequently observed in the HD cases; conversely, the remaining case showed a profile (positive results for CD30, CD45, and EMA, negative results for CD15) typically observed in ALC lymphomas. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the differential expression of CD45, EMA, and CD15 could be used in the distinction of ALC lymphomas and HD, whereas it seems that BNH9 antibody reactivity may be of diagnostic use only in that it reinforces the diagnostic value of EMA expression in the differentiation of these entities.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1992

Paraffin section immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease and anaplastic large cell (CD30+) lymphomas.

Morphological and immunohistological studies were carried out on a series of 137 lymphomas including CD30+ anaplastic large cell (ALC) lymphomas (48 cases) and non-lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin's disease (HD) (89 cases), with the aim of assessing in situ expression of a combination of antibodies including anti-CD30/BerH2, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), CD15 and CD45, in addition to other monoclonal antibodies suitable for paraffin tissues. A greater proportion of cases of ALC lymphomas than of HD exhibited positivity for CD45 (91.7% vs 17.6%), EMA (56.2% vs 4.5%), CD43 (53.6% vs 13.1%) and CD45RO (39.5% vs 3.5%), whereas Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells in HD most frequently expressed CD15 (93.2% vs 20.8%) antigen. Moreover, in 35 of 48 (72.9%) ALC lymphomas tumour cells expressed the CD30+, CD45+, CD15-, EMA- or + phenotypic profile, while in the same percentage (62/85) of HD cases RS cells were found to express the CD30+, CD45-, CD15+, EMA- profile. This study suggests that the differential expression of CD45, EMA, and CD15 may be used in the separation of ALC lymphomas and HD. However, co-expression of CD30, CD45 and CD15 antigens by RS cells in HD (14/85 cases, 16.5% in this series) and by tumour cells in ALC lymphomas (9/48 cases, 18.7% in this series) may be encountered in a non-negligible fraction of cases.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

B-zone small lymphocytic lymphoma: a morphologic, immunophenotypic, and clinical study with comparison to "well-differentiated" lymphocytic disorders.

The pathologic, immunologic, and clinical features of five cases of B-zone small lymphocytic lymphoma (BZSLL), characterized by a nondestructive growth pattern with a selective and complete replacement of the B-zone areas of lymph nodes, were examined. These findings were compared with those of 13 cases of intermediate differentiated lymphoma/mantle zone lymphoma (ILL/MZL) and 20 cases of typical small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (SLL/CLL). B-zone SLL was characterized histologically by a deceptively benign pattern at a low magnification, the lymph node architecture being substantially preserved, in contrast to the ILL/MZL and SLL/CLL cases, in which complete effacement of the normal architecture usually could be observed. Moreover, in BZSLL the cellular population was rather uniform and lacked either a prolymphocytic component or the small-cleaved lymphoid cells often seen in SLL/CLL and ILL/MZL cases, respectively. The phenotypic profile of the BZSLL clonal cell population studied by the immunoperoxidase method and by single- and double-labeling flow cytometric analyses (SIg+, CD19+, CD20+, CD21+, CD22+, CD24+, CD35+, CD37+, CD74+, CD45+, CD45R+, MB2+, HLA-DR+, Leu-8+, CD9+/-, CDw75+/-, CD5-/+, CD23-/+, CD10-, FMC7-, PCA-1-, CD25-, CD38-, CD43-, CD3-) appeared to be fairly homogeneous and sufficiently distinct from that of ILL/MZL, based on the absence of FMC7 and CD38 molecules, and from that of SLL/CLL due to significantly stronger expression of SIgs (P less than .05), the higher reactivity with anti-CD9 and -CD22 antibodies (P less than .05), the lower reactivity with anti-CD5 and -CD23 antibodies (P less than .05), and the absence of CD25 determinants. Several clinical features of patients with BZSLL, including age group, advanced stage disease, and high frequency of bone marrow and peripheral blood involvement, were similar to those found in the other patients with ILL/MZL and SLL/CLL, but none of the BZSLL patients had an absolute lymphocyte count higher than 15.0 x 10(9)/L at presentation. Based on the architectural pattern, cytologic features, immunophenotypes, and hematologic findings, we conclude that BZSLL is an unusual variant of SLL that is primary in the lymph nodes and should be distinguished from ILL/MZL and CLL.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Impaired generation of high-affinity interleukin-2 receptors in the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction in rheumatoid arthritis.

We examined the expression of high-affinity interleukin (IL)-2 receptors (IL-2R) as well as Tac and HLA-DR antigens on peripheral blood (PB) T cells from 11 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 8 healthy controls induced in the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR). The proportion of HLA-DR- and Tac-bearing T cells and expression of these activation antigens were higher in patients relative to controls (P less than 0.01) in freshly isolated unstimulated PB mononuclear cells. AMLR stimulation of RA T cells failed to induce an increase in the proportion of HLA-DR and Tac-bearing T cells which was observed in health controls. After AMLR stimulation the number of high-affinity IL-2R were significantly lower in RA patients compared with controls (P less than 0.01). The number of high-affinity IL-2R on patient T cells correlated strongly with AMLR reactivity as measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation (r = 0.821, P = 0.002). The results suggest that the AMLR defect in RA may result from impaired generation of high-affinity IL-2R.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

An unusual presentation of vulvar carcinoma in a HIV patient.

A report of a case of rapidly growing vulvar cancer associated with vulvar condylomas in a patient with HIV infection is given. This aggressive tumor resembles those epithelial tumors observed in women with iatrogenic immunosuppression and lymphoid neoplasia currently observed in HIV patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Expression of glutathione-S-transferase-pi in human tumours.

Expression of glutathione-S-transferase-pi (GST-pi) gene was quantitatively analysed on various human tumours (renal cell, colorectal, head and neck, ovarian carcinomas, soft tissue sarcomas; non-Hodgkin lymphomas) and on the corresponding normal tissues when available (kidney, colorectum and head and neck). GST-pi mRNA expression level was found to be significantly higher in tumours (P less than 0.01) than in the normal counterparts (mainly 7.3, 3.5- and 3.0-fold in colorectal, head and neck, and renal carcinomas, respectively). Most tumours displayed a significant relationship between higher GST-pi expression level and poor differentiation grade of tumour cells, thus suggesting a relationship between GST-pi activity, neoplastic transformation and cellular differentiation grade. The high requirement of GST-pi activity neoplastic cells displayed was not singularly related to cellular replication rate. Finally, GST-pi gene expression levels were not affected by chemotherapeutic treatments.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Superficial extending carcinoma (SEC) of the larynx and hypopharynx.

In this study the histopathological features of an underestimated architectural variety of infiltrating squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx, operationally termed as "superficial extending carcinoma", are described. Pathologically, the superficial extending carcinoma is a poorly/moderately differentiated infiltrating squamous cell carcinoma showing an entirely or predominant superficial type of growth; deep infiltration was confined to the mucosa or limited to a few underlying glandular and/or muscular laryngopharyngeal structures, regardless of the presence of lymph node metastasis or lymph vessel invasion. As defined above, the superficial extending carcinoma may be regarded, from a pathologic point of view, as a laryngopharyngeal counterpart to "superficial esophageal carcinoma". Studying a series of 88 whole organs serially sectioned laryngopharyngectomy specimens, we found that 6 out of 61 primary laryngeal carcinomas (9.8%) and 6 out of 26 primary hypopharyngeal carcinomas (23%) showed the peculiar architectural features of the superficial extending carcinoma. In 6 cases (2 laryngeal and 4 hypopharyngeal) the tumor was entirely intramucosal or early infiltrated the underlying muscle or gland structures. In the remaining 6 cases (4 laryngeal and 2 hypopharyngeal tumor) a superficial extending carcinoma was found to be associated with a deeply infiltrating squamous cell carcinoma of the "classic" type. Features useful to histopathologic diagnosis of superficial extending carcinoma and to its differentiation from preneoplastic and other neoplastic lesions of the laryngopharyngeal mucosa are emphasized. The possible association of superficial extending carcinoma with multiple synchronous and metachronous neoplastic lesions in the upper aerodigestive tract and the frequent underestimation of its real extension may have important clinical implications.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

"Lipoleiomyoma with metaplastic cartilage" (benign mesenchymoma) of the uterine cervix.

Benign mesenchymoma (BM) is an uncommon tumor containing two or more differentiated mesenchymal elements in addition to fibrous tissue. A case of BM of the uterine cervix in a 51-year-old woman is reported. This tumor, which we designated "lipoleiomyoma with metaplastic cartilage" because of its morphological features, apparently represents the first documented example of BM of the cervix.

Female↗

PubMed1992

Follicular lymphoma of compartmentalized small cleaved center cells and mantle zone lymphocytes. Evidence for a common derivation.

The authors have observed a unique case of follicular lymphoma in which the central zones of neoplastic nodules were composed predominantly of small cleaved cells (SCC) that were surrounded by small lymphoid cells proliferating in wide mantles as in mantle zone (MZ) lymphoma. The central SCC component displayed a follicular SCC lymphoma-like phenotype (IgD-, CD10+, CD5-, CD68-), whereas the neoplastic cells of the peripheral zones had an MZ lymphoma-like phenotypic profile (IgD+, CD10-, CD5+, CD68+). In extranodal involved tissues, either follicular or diffuse (leukemic-like) patterns of lymphoma infiltration were noted. Flow cytometric analyses showed in the bone marrow or the peripheral blood two leukemic B cell populations, one mimicking the phenotypic profile (IgM+, IgD+, CD5+, CD10-, Leu8-) of small lymphoid cells with MZ-like features, and the other with phenotypic features (IgM+, IgD-, CD5+, CD10+, Leu8+) intermediate between those of MZ-like cells and those of the SCC component (follicular center-like) detected in the lymph node. Immunomagnetic sorting and gene rearrangement studies indicated that both CD10+ and CD10- B lymphocytes and lymph node neoplastic B cells shared the same clonal origin. This unusual follicular lymphoma can be viewed as the result of the proliferation of a single follicular progenitor capable of differentiating toward both a germinal center and an MZ phenotype. The simultaneous presence in the same patient of at least three neoplastic B-cell populations at different maturation stages, encompassing follicular center and MZ phenotypes, and showing the same clonal derivation, indicates a close lineage relationship between follicular SCC and MZ lymphomas.

Aged↗

PubMed1992

The value of immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of soft tissue sarcomas.

Histological classification of soft tissue sarcomas can be made by light microscopy alone for those tumors with unique appearances, while a significant proportion of sarcomas require the implementation of electron microscopy or immunohistochemistry to obtain a final diagnostic classification. Immunostaining methods are particularly valuable in certain classes of sarcomas such as epithelioid sarcomas, malignant schwannomas, hemangiosarcomas, clear cell sarcomas, rhabdomyosarcomas, pleomorphic liposarcomas, leiomyosarcomas and synovial sarcomas through documentation of their cellular products. Immunohistochemistry is not a substitute for skilled interpretation of conventionally stained microscopic specimens; however, the availability of more specific determinants in the soft tissue neoplasms will expand the value of this approach in this area of diagnostic pathology.

Humans↗

PubMed1992

[Mechanical resistance of intrauterine devices. Experimental evaluation].

In view of the possible intracavitary breakage of an IUD, an experimental model was created to evaluate resistance to mechanical stress in new IUDs and IUDs which had been used for varying periods (6-12-24 months). The results of the study showed that, in addition to a slight inhomogeneity of the product which is probably due to incorrect industrial manufacturing procedures, there is also a correlation between the risk of breakage and intrauterine ageing which is particularly evident in some IUDS.

Equipment Failure↗

PubMed1991

A clinicopathologic study of lymphoid neoplasias associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection in Italy.

The clinicopathologic features of 45 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients (mainly intravenous drug users [IVDU]) with lymphoid neoplasias seen from September 1984 through July 1990 at an Italian cancer center are reviewed. Thirty-five had systemic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), and ten had Hodgkin's disease (HD). Histologically, 27 NHL cases were intermediate grade (five cases) or high grade (22 cases, 14 of the small noncleaved cell type), according to the Working Formulation. Eight NHL cases, including four anaplastic large cell (ALC) BerH2 (CD30)-positive lymphomas, were in the miscellaneous group. Immunohistologic and/or gene rearrangement analysis showed the B-cell origin of 20 of the 24 NHL cases studied. At presentation, 71% of NHL patients had advanced stages (Stage III or IV), and 85% had extranodal disease (predominantly gastrointestinal tract and marrow). Of the 23 patients evaluable for treatment, only seven had a complete clinical response after lymphoma therapy; the median survival of 34 evaluable patients was 22 months after the diagnosis of NHL. Fifteen patients died; most deaths were attributable to progressive lymphoma and opportunistic infections. As with NHL, advanced disease, extranodal involvement, aggressive histologic findings, and poor response to therapy were also observed in patients with HD. This study shows that lymphoid neoplasias occurring in Italian IVDU with HIV infection and those previously reported in North American homosexual men with HIV infection share similar clinicopathologic features. However, some features such as the absence of history of Kaposi's sarcoma at diagnosis, the lack of detection of primary brain and rectal NHL, and the occurrence of B-cell ALC BerH2 (CD30)-positive NHL were observed uniquely in this series of patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Expression of myelomonocytic antigens is associated with unfavourable clinicoprognostic factors in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

The cross-lineage expression of five myelomonocytic antigens (CD11b, CD11c, CD13, CD14, and CD15) was analysed in neoplastic lymphocytes from 100 consecutive B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) patients. CD14 antigen was detected on lymphocytes from more than 50% of patients whilst smaller percentages of samples were positive for CD11b (21%), CD11c (26%), CD13 (22%), and CD15 (7%). The presence of the CD13 antigen on neoplastic lymphocytes showed a statistically significant association with the two most important unfavourable clinicoprognostic factors in B-CLL: advanced clinical stage (CD13, P less than 0.01 by the Rai staging system; P less than 0.05 by the Binet staging system) and the diffuse pattern of bone marrow infiltration (CD13, P less than 0.001). A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the increased risk for CD13-positive patients (13.7-fold higher than CD13-negative cases; P = 0.001) of presenting a diffuse pattern of bone marrow infiltration is independent of all other prognostic factors analysed including sex, age, lymphocyte counts, and clinical stage. A statistically significant association of CD11c (P = 0.002) and CD11b (P = 0.032) expression with the pattern of bone marrow infiltration was also found. Our results indicate for the first time a statistically significant association of CD13, CD11c, and CD11b antigens with unfavourable prognostic factors in B-CLL. They suggest that the cross-lineage expression of myeloid-associated surface peptidase (CD13-aminopeptidase N) and/or cell adhesion molecules (CD11c-LeuCAMc, CD11b-LeuCAMb) may influence the biological and clinical behaviour of chronic lymphoproliferative disorders of B cells.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1991

Immunohistochemical characterization of Ki-M6 monoclonal antibody in Bouin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of normal and neoplastic human tissues.

A monoclonal antibody (Ki-M6) against the CD 68 antigen, which labels cells of the monocyte/macrophage system, was tested on Bouin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples of normal, reactive and neoplastic tissues by an avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method, with the aim of establishing its value in diagnostic pathology. In normal human tissues, Ki-M6 reactivity was confined to the so-called resident macrophages populating normal organs under physiological conditions. Moreover, restricted reactivity against cells of macrophage lineage was observed in reactive and inflammatory lesions. Granulocytes, monocyte/macrophage-related immune accessory cells, and other analysed normal tissue structures did not reveal any reactivity. Ki-M6 was strongly reactive with the cases of benign (4/4) and malignant (15/15) fibrous histiocytomas, in addition to the true histiocytic lymphomas (3/3). Cases of granular cell tumour (2/3) showed strong reactivity with Ki-M6, whereas only few immunoreactive cells, with weak staining, were seen in the other Ki-M6-positive neoplasms [neurofibroma (3/3), benign schwannoma (1/2), ganglioneuroma (1/1), malignant schwannoma (5/9), melanoma (9/28), dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (1/1), myelomonocytic leukaemia (3/3)]. Among the epithelial malignancies tested (47 cases), Ki-M6 was positive only in renal cell carcinoma (11/14). Malignant lymphomas of the Hodgkin (56 cases) and non-Hodgkin type (67 cases) were uniformly non-reactive. From these data, Ki-M6 appears to be an excellent marker of monocyte/macrophage-related cells and appears to be a reliable indicator for fibrous histiocytomas and true histiocytic malignancies. The availability of this additional antibody capable of staining routinely processed tissue is of practical interest.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1991

The assessment of IUD mechanical resistance: an experimental model.

An experimental model to assess IUD resistance to mechanical fatigue is presented by which the performance of several IUD models has been tested both new and after variable intrauterine use, up to 33 months. According to the results of this study, IUD resistance decreases exponentially with time, and IUD shape apparently affects resistance. Therefore, prolonged intrauterine use apparently increases rupture liability. Moreover, it is suggested that some IUD features can minimize chances of intrauterine rupture and/or fragmentation.

Intrauterine Devices↗

PubMed1991

The pathophysiology of autoimmune thyroid disease.

Evidence is presented favouring a partial antigen-specific defect in suppressor T lymphocytes as the basis for autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). This in turn may well be due to an HLA-related gene abnormality in specific antigen presentation to T lymphocytes, resulting in inadequate induction (activation) of antigen-specific suppressor T lymphocytes. The additive effect of environmental factors adversely affecting overall suppressor T cell function may serve to precipitate AITD. The consequent activation of specific helper T lymphocytes leads to cytokine and thyroid autoantibody production, and the combined effects of cytokines, thyroid antibodies and cellular components on thyrocytes completes the pathological picture. The pathophysiology of AITD is further affected by the actions of the thyrocyte in communicating with the immune system (thyrocyte-immunocyte signalling), through thyrocyte HLA-DR expression, thyroid antigen expression, and the effect of thyroid hormone itself on the immune system. Interference of these signals by therapeutic modalities may lead to amelioration of the immune process, or even remissions.

Humans↗

PubMed1990

Histopathologic, immunophenotypic, and genotypic analysis of Ki-1 anaplastic large cell lymphomas that express histiocyte-associated antigens.

CD30/Ki-1 antigen expression in 243 cases of malignant lymphomas was examined using Ber-H2 monoclonal antibody. Among them 20 cases were categorized as Ki-1 anaplastic large cell lymphoma. In two of these cases histiocyte-associated markers were also expressed. In these cases histopathologic and extensive in situ immunophenotypic analyses were used with genotypic studies in the determination of cell lineage. A sinusoid histologic pattern of involvement with partial lymph node infiltration by pleomorphic neoplastic cells was noticed in the nodes from both patients. Solid areas of node replacement resembling metastatic carcinoma were seen in Patient 1. Immunohistologically, tumor cells of both cases were positive for CD30, CD25, CD71, LN3 (HLA-DR), EMA, CD45, CD74, vimentin, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, and CD68. Patient 1 was also CD45RO+, CD43+, whereas Patient 2 was positive for alpha-1-antitrypsin and CD4 tumor cells. Genotypic studies revealed that TCR beta and TCR gamma chain genes were clonally rearranged in Patient 1, whereas no rearrangements were detected in Patient 2. This study supports the view that some Ki-1 anaplastic large cell lymphomas may express multiple histiocyte-associated antigens and confirms that this group of neoplasms have immunophenotypic heterogeneity. The results of genotypic analyses used with immunophenotyping does not exclude that the tumor cells in these cases may be of true histiocytic origin despite the Ki-1-positive phenotype.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the elderly. I. Pathologic features at presentation.

The pathologic findings of 118 patients aged 70 years or older with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) are reported. These patients formed 27.2% of 433 consecutive cases of NHL seen in a single institution over a 5-year period. Thirty-one of 433 NHL cases were histologically not classified, whereas the remaining 402 could be classified according to the International Working Formulation (WF) of NHL for clinical usage. Immunophenotypic analyses were carried out in 112 NHL cases; of this group 28 were NHL in elderly patients. Of the 95 elderly NHL that could be classified in the histologic categories of the WF 28 cases were in the low-grade, 41 in the intermediate-grade, and 26 in the high-grade categories. Eighty-one cases had diffuse histologic types and 14 had follicular/nodular histologic types. Thirty-five cases were of the G (diffuse large cell) + H (large cell, immunoblastic) categories. No significant differences in the prevalence of the different subtypes were observed among patients younger or older than 70 years. Immunohistologically, most NHL cases in the elderly expressed B-cell phenotype. Sixty-two NHL in the elderly were extranodal at presentation. The results of this study indicate that elderly patients form a relevant proportion of patients developing NHL and thereby present a very difficult management problem. The pathologic features of NHL in the elderly does not differ significantly from those of their younger counterparts, although an increase in diffuse versus follicular histologic patterns, and in extranodal versus nodal disease was observed with advancing age.

Aged↗