Quantitative and qualitative study of gastric epithelial lesions by NOR and lectin histochemistry
Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
NOR proteins are a group of non histone- proteins which responsible for r-DNA transcription and r-RNA processing. The amount of these proteins increase in transition from G1 to S phase in cell cycle. NOR proteins are a good index of cell proliferation and hence they are very important in tumor grading, prognosis and distinction of malignant from benign tumor. Furthermore studies showed the importance of terminal sugars of cell surface glycoconjugate in cell differentiation, transformation and metastasis formation in neoplastic disease. The decrease, increase and changing of these compounds in neoplastic disease is a reason for attention of investigator to this topic. The aim of the present study was to identify the terminal sugars of glycoconjugate in gastritis and carcinoma of the stomach by lectin histochemistry using PNA,BSA1-B4,DBA,WGA and SBA. Furthermore the number and distribution pattern of NOR particle were studied. For these purposes paraffin blocks from 40 patients with mean age of 45 (30 cases gastritis and 10 carcinoma) from pathology file of Khatam-Al â Anbiah (Zaedan) and Namazi (Shiraz) hospitals choosed. Paraffin sections stained by colloidal silver nitrate and lectin histochemistry with Crocker`s and Fazel methods respectively. NOR particle and reactivity of cells to lectin were studied double blind by two persons. Statistical indexes of central tendency and variability calculated and then Mann-Whitney and Pearson correlation tests were done by SPSS (Ver. 9). The results of NOR counting showed significant difference between carcinoma and gastritis (P<0.001). Pearson correlation test showed great correlation for NOR counting (r=0.97 P<0.001).The number and distribution of NOR showed severe changes in carcinoma than gastritis. Furthermore the presence of Gal/GalNac, D-Gal, ï¡-GalNac, GluNac and GalNac were shown in different quantities in cell surfaces. The pattern of reactivity of cells to lectins showed great changes in carcinoma than gastritis. It seems that in course of neoplasia the number and distribution of NOR and reactivity of cell surface glycoconjugate changes severely in carcinoma than gastritis . These changes well accommodate with other morphologic characteristics of cancer cells. Further studies will probably show the exact role of NOR proteins and terminal sugars in neoplasia.
Paper presented at the International Symposium on Predictive Oncology and Intervention Strategies; Nice, France; February 7 - 10, 2004; in poster session 893 (Molecular pathology).