An immunocytochemical study of the distribution of lysozyme, a1-antitrypsin and a1-antichymotrypsin in the normal and pathological gall bladder

Abstract

We have studied the distribution of lysozyme (Ly), a1-antitrypsin (a1AT) and a1-antichymotrypsin ( a1AChy ) in the normal, chronically inflamed and neoplastic gall bladder mucosa using the peroxidase-anti-peroxidase (PAP) method. Ly was absent from the normal mucosa but it was found only in areas of glandular metaplasia of true antral type and in crypts of possible early metaplastic nature in cases of chronic cholecystitis. a1AT and a1AChy were also found in such metaplastic areas, but their presence was also observed immunohistochemically in areas of essentially normal and in non-metaplastic, chronically inflamed gall bladder mucosa. The possible local production of these substances by gall bladder epithelial cells is discussed. Ly, a1AT and a1AChy were also found in various histological types of adenocarcinoma of the gall bladder in varying degrees of frequency and intensity, unrelated to the histological type and invasiveness of the tumour.

An evaluation of the prognostic significance of alpha-1-antitrypsin expression in adenocarcinomas of the lung: an immunohistochemical analysis

“…AAT expression in tumour cells of the digestive system has been immunohistochemically studied (Reintoft & Hagerstrand, 1979;Kittas et al, 1982b;Tahara et al, 1984;Aroni et al, 1984;Wittekind et al, 1986;Karashima et al, 1990). In colorectal cancer, Karashima et al (1990) reported that the incidence of AAT expression was markedly higher in advanced cases than in early cases, and that AAT-positive cases had a poor prognosis than AAT-negative cases, particularly in early stages.…”

“…Since AAT can inactivate a wide variety of proteolytic enzymes such as pancreatic and leukocyte elastase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, collagenase, plasmin and thrombin, it is considered to be important in regulating a variety of proteolytic and thromboplastic processes on both systemic and local levels (Rimon et al, 1966;Eisen et al, 1970;Koj et al, 1972;Beatty et al, 1980). AAT is expressed not only in normal livers but also in other normal tissues such as the lung, gall bladder, pancreas, and the gastrointestinal tract (Tuttle & Jones, 1975;Ray et al, 1978;Kittas et al, 1982a;Geboes et al, 1982;Tahara et al, 1984;Aroni et al, 1984). Moreover, AAT has also been demonstrated in several neoplasms including carcinomas, mesenchymal tumours, hemopoietic and brain tumours (Reintoft & Hargerstrand, 1979;Kittas et al, 1982b;Glasgow et al, 1982;Aroni et al, 1984;Tahara et al, 1984;Krugliak et al, 1986;Wittekind et al, 1986;Sawaya et al, 1987;Soini & Miettinen, 1989;Kataoka et al, 1989;Perlmutter et al, 1989;Karashima et al, 1990).…”

“…AAT is expressed not only in normal livers but also in other normal tissues such as the lung, gall bladder, pancreas, and the gastrointestinal tract (Tuttle & Jones, 1975;Ray et al, 1978;Kittas et al, 1982a;Geboes et al, 1982;Tahara et al, 1984;Aroni et al, 1984). Moreover, AAT has also been demonstrated in several neoplasms including carcinomas, mesenchymal tumours, hemopoietic and brain tumours (Reintoft & Hargerstrand, 1979;Kittas et al, 1982b;Glasgow et al, 1982;Aroni et al, 1984;Tahara et al, 1984;Krugliak et al, 1986;Wittekind et al, 1986;Sawaya et al, 1987;Soini & Miettinen, 1989;Kataoka et al, 1989;Perlmutter et al, 1989;Karashima et al, 1990). The presence of AAT in tumour cells is now considered to be due to its production by tumour cells themselves (Glasgow et al, 1982;Perlmutter et al, 1989;Kataoka et al, 1989).…”

Expression of phenotypic markers of mast cells, macrophages and dendritic cells in gallbladder mucosa with calculous cholecystitis

“…TNF-α mRNA and protein were expressed constitutively in isolated human intestinal MCs [16]. Attempts were made to describe involvement of MCs both in physiology and in several inflammatory diseases and non-inflammatory diseases of the alimentary tract in humans [12,17,18], including pathology of gallbladder [19][20][21][22]. Higher numbers of MCs were detected in chronic exacerbated and chronic sclerotic cholangitis [21], and in Hirschsprung's disease [18], as compared with those in controls.…”

“…Detection and evaluation of their number have taken advantage of various investigatory techniques [5,19,20]. Presence of markers typical of tissue (histiocytic) macrophages, particularly presence of α-1-antitrypsin and α-1-antichymotrypsin, was observed both in normal and nonmetaplastic, chronically inflamed gallbladder mucosa [19].…”