The number and distribution of mast cells were assessed in 116 synovial membranes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and in 30 control specimens. Rheumatoid synovial membranes contained a mean of 48.5 mast cells per 20 high-power fields (HPF) (range 0-252), and control synovial membranes had a mean of 3.9 mast cells per 20 HPF (range 0-13) (P < 0.001). In a comparison of high and low mast cell subgroups in rheumatoid arthritis, counts were directly related to the intensity of clinical synovitis in the affected joint, but not to hemoglobin concentration or erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Joints excised from 5 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were characterized by active bone remodeling with increased osteoid, active resorption by osteoclasts, and trabecular osteoporosis. Mast cells were prominent in both extraosseous pannus and intraosseous invasive tissue. The possible roles of mast cells in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis are discussed. (1-3). The accumulation of mast cells in the synovium is an early feature of adjuvant arthritis in the rat (4), although there are few reports of their prevalence in inflammatory synovitis in adult humans. Increased numbers of mast cells have been described in the synovial membrane of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (5-7), some of whom may also have circulating basophilia. The possibility that synovial mastocytosis could be a component of adult rheumatoid arthritis has received scant attention (8) and no controlled, quantitative studies have been reported. In 2 comprehensive reviews of the pathology of inflamed synovium, mast cells were not discussed (9,lO). In view of recent advances in the understanding of the possible role of mast cells in inflammation, bone resorption, and angiogenesis, it is reasonable to consider a function of these cells in the pathogenesis of the rheumatoid lesion. PATIENTS AND METHODSSynovial membranes from 116 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were obtained at surgical synovectomy of the knee and wrist, or at replacement arthroplasty of the knee and hip. Control specimens were obtained from 30 patients undergoing meniscectomy of the knee. Tissue was fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin blocks. Sections 4 pm thick were stained with 20% Giemsa solution. Mast cells were identified as cells of variable morphology, from oval to spindle-shaped or convoluted, possessing a single oval or round nucleus. The presence of red-violet metachromatic cytoplasmic granules was an absolute requirement for mast cell identification.In each case, 20 high-power fields (HPF) were counted by a single observer. A "high mast cell count" subgroup of patients with rheumatoid arthritis was arbitrarily defined
The peroxidase-anti-peroxidase technique was used to stain for prostate specific acid phosphatase and prostate specific antigen in 12 patients with primary tumors and in 12 patients with metastases in whom the nature of the tumor was in doubt after routine histopathological studies. Nine of the primary tumors were positive for both markers and an additional 2 tumors stained for prostate specific antigen only. Six metastatic lesions stained for both markers and a seventh for prostate specific antigen alone. Thus, 11 of 12 primary tumors and 7 of 12 metastases studied were proved to be of prostatic orgin. While the peroxidase staining was sometimes weak and uneven this method, using prostate specific antigen and prostate specific acid phosphatase, allowed for ready identification of metastases. The heterogeneity of the tumors in regard to these 2 prostate markers is demonstrated, and the value of staining for prostate specific acid phosphatase and prostate specific antigen is emphasized.
The cellulase inducer sophorose was rapidly catabolized to CO2 and H2O by Trichoderma: only small amounts were used to induce the synthesis of cellulase. 3H-sophorose uptake began after a lag of 1 h and its half-life in the medium was less than 5 h. Cellulase activity in the medium did not increase till 6 h after the addition of sophorose and reached a half maximum value at 14 h. The presence of free sophorose in the medium was required for continuous cellulase production. Several small sophorose addition induced much more cellulase than an equivalent single dose. These results are attributed to two pathways of sophorose utilization, a catabolic pathway that has a high capacity but low affinity for sophorose and an inductive pathway having a lower capacity but higher affinity for sophorose.
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