INVESTIGATION OF CARCINOMAIN SITU CELLS OF TESTIS BY QUANTIFICATION OF ARGYROPHILIC NUCLEOLAR ORGANIZER REGION ASSOCIATED PROTEINS (AgNORs)

Abstract

The silver staining which specifically stains argyrophilic proteins (AgNORs) in interphase nuclei was applied to paraffin sections of 24 testicular specimens with carcinoma in situ (CIS). AgNOR area per nucleus was quantified by a computerized image analyser. Significant quantitative differences were found between CIS, Sertoli cells, and spermatogonia (P=0·0001), with median values of 10·3, 2·8, and 1·4 μm2 in the three cell types, respectively. A Sertoli cell index (SCI), defined as the ratio between AgNORs in CIS or spermatogonia and Sertoli cells, was shown to be significant in the differential diagnosis of CIS cells from spermatogonia when 1·0 was used as the cut‐off value (CIS>1; spermatogonia<1). Furthermore, CIS associated with non‐seminoma was found to have a significantly higher level of AgNORs than CIS associated with pure seminoma (P<0·01), indicating that subclonal variation in transformation potential might be present within morphologically identical CIS of the testis. It remains to be seen whether quantification of AgNORs in isolated CIS could be used to predict transformation of CIS into seminoma or non‐seminoma.

The Use of Flow Cytometric DNA Ploidy Analysis of Liver Biopsies in Liver Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

“…However, in contrast to immunohistochemical methods merely determining the growth fraction of the cells by Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) analysis AgNORs apparently reflect time-related proliferation rates and ploidy. Thus, AgNOR analysis may provide further insights concerning the biological behavior of the cell and is simple, inexpensive, and reliable method of evaluating the proliferative activity and ploidy of the cell (Meng et al, 1996). Celikel (1995) found a correlation between mean AgNOR and ploidy and proliferation activity of urinary bladder tumor as measured by DNA flow cytometry.…”