A study to analyze the origin of tumor cells in malignant fibrous histiocytomas a multiparametric characterization

Abstract

To study the derivation of tumor cells of malignant fibrous histiocytomas (MFH), their phenotypical marker profile was investigated and compared with those of malignant histiocytosis (MH) and of different types of soft tissue tumors (STT). The presence of the following markers was investigated: on paraffin sections, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACT); on frozen sections antigens associated with lymphocytes, macrophages and fibroblasts, the enzymes acid phosphatase, nonspecific esterase, and beta-glucuronidase; and, on isolated and cultured cells, the receptors for EA-gamma and complement. Furthermore, the capacity to phagocytose sensitized erythrocytes and carbon particles was studied in vitro. MFH tumor cells and a part of other types of STT shared the expression of ACT and lysosomal enzymes with MH. They differed, however, from MH by the absence of monocyte/macrophage-associated antigens and by the expression of fibroblast-associated antigens, which property they had in common with other STT. MFH tumor cells were not able to form rosettes or to phagocytose Ig-sensitized erythrocytes, but they showed phagocytosis of carbon particles. The results strongly indicate that MFH tumor cells originate from (primitive) fixed mesenchymal cells and are not related to monocyte-derived histiocytes.

Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma and Macrophage Differentiation.

“…However, they were also reactive with fibrosarcoma and/or fibroblast cell lines and were thus considered no longer specific for monocyte/macrophages (20,48). All MFH cell lines showed immunohistochemical characteristics very similar to those of fibrosarcoma and fibroblast cell lines (48) as reported by several researchers (5,39,40,55). Positive reaction to the antibodies against type I collagen and prolyl hydroxylase, the enzyme which catalyzes the 4-hydroxylation of proline residues in procollagen, indicates that MFH cells have the capacity to produce collagen (48).…”

Origin of histiocyte‐like cells and multinucleated giant cells in malignant fibrous histiocytoma: Neoplastic or reactive?

“…The cell origin of MFH remains controversial, [2][3][4] but it has been assumed to arise either from bone marrow-derived cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system (histiocytes/macrophages) [5][6][7][8][9] or from mesenchymal cells in the local connective tissue (fibroblasts or their precursors). [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] In view of the fact that MFH does not express the immunophenotype of a true histiocytic neoplasm, recently it has become increasingly more accepted that MFH has little or no relationship to true histiocytic tumors. 19 Takeya et al have demonstrated that the histiocyte-like cells were reactive macrophages in heterotransplantation of human MFH cells using species-specific antimacrophage antibodies.…”

Phenotypic modulation in cisplatin‐resistant cloned cells derived from transplantable rat malignant fibrous histiocytoma

“…'~~'~~~~~~ In these studies, cultured cells showed no positive reaction to antibodies directed against macrophages/histiocytes. Thus, there have been opinions that MFH cells are not of bone marrow-derived monocyte/macrophage lineage.ro 15,30 ED1 and ED2 are antibodies specific for cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage in rats3' Parental MT-8 and MT-9 cells reacted to ED1 and ED2 at a low incidence, and MT-R8 and MT-R9 cells showed enhanced expressions for ED1 and ED2. MT-8 and MT-9 cells may be related to rat monocyte/macrophage lineage.…”