elastin and Adenofibroma

Extracellular matrix components of benign ovarian tumours (cystadenoma, adenofibroma, cystadenofibroma) were analysed. The investigated tumours contained twice as much collagen than control ovarian tissues. Significant alterations in mutual quantitative relationships between collagens of various types were observed. The proportion of type I collagen decreased and that of type III collagen increased. The accumulation of collagen was accompanied by a reduction in sulphated glycosaminoglycan content whereas the amount of hyaluronic acid was not changed. Dermatan sulphate was the most abundant glycosaminoglycan component. It is suggested that the accumulation of collagen (natural barrier to the migration of tumour cells) and underexpression of glycosaminoglycans/proteoglycans (binding some growth factors and interleukins) may exert an inhibitory effect on tumour growth.

Topics: Adenofibroma; Adult; Collagen; Cystadenoma; Elastin; Extracellular Matrix; Female; Glycosaminoglycans; Humans; Middle Aged; Ovarian Neoplasms; Ovary

An ultrastructural study on elastosis of human breast tumors was made with special attention to the periductal elastosis and the cell responsible for elastic fiber formation. The elastosis was found prominently in scirrhous type of duct carcinoma. In the area of mild periductal elastosis, the elastic fibers with many microfibrils and a tiny central elastin were seen around the periductal fibroblasts which were characterized by attenuated cytoplasms with aggregates of microfilaments and slightly developed rough endoplasmic reticulum. With the thickening of the periductal wall, such an area was replaced by abundant mature elastic fibers with peripheral microfibrils and a few intervening ordinary fibroblasts. Therefore, it was suggested that the periductal fibroblasts which transformed into ordinary fibroblasts during the development of elastosis were primarily concerned with the elastic fiber formation. In the interlobular tissue in which both fibroblasts and myofibroblasts were present, the elastic fibers were larger than those of the periductal area and had less microfibrils in their periphery. The relationship between microfibrils and elastin during the early elastosis, maturation process of the elastic fibers, and cell modulation of the fibroblasts in the breast elastosis were discussed.

Topics: Adenofibroma; Adult; Breast; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms; Carcinoma; Elastic Tissue; Elastin; Female; Fibroblasts; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Middle Aged