lactoferrin and Adenolymphoma

In order to gain insight into the origin of Warthin's tumor, 10 cases of Warthin's tumor were compared immunohistologically with macroscopically and microscopically normal areas of the same glands, using 6 types of functional markers; carcinoembryonic antigen, secretory component, lactoferrin, keratin, S-100 protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein. It was shown that in normal parotid glands, the cells of acini, the intercalated ducts, the striated ducts, and the excretory ducts, as well as myoepithelial cells differed from each other in intensity and distribution of reaction products with antisera against those markers. Although the differences were rather subtle, the results suggested that those markers could differentiate the cell types of the salivary glands. In Warthin's tumors with double-layered tumor epithelia, the staining characteristics of the luminal and basal epithelia differed from each other. Epithelial cells on the luminal side showed immunological characteristics similar to striated duct cells of the parotid gland, while those of the basal side had characteristics similar to those of basal cells of the excretory duct. It is therefore suggested that the epithelia of Warthin's tumor may show differentiation into 2 different cell types.

Topics: Adenolymphoma; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoembryonic Antigen; Epithelium; Female; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Keratins; Lactoferrin; Male; Middle Aged; Parotid Gland; Parotid Neoplasms; S100 Proteins; Secretory Component

An immunoperoxidase staining technique was used for detecting alpha one-antichymotrypsin (alpha 1-ACT), alpha one-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT), lactoferrin and transferrin in routine histological paraffin sections of 30 adenolymphomas, as well as in normal salivary gland tissue. Microscopically, the epithelial, component of adenolymphomas consisted of tall columnar luminal cells and irregularly shaped basal cells. alpha 1-ACT was detected in the luminal layer of epithelium in 27 (90%) of 30 adenolymphomas, while the basal layer was positive in 4 cases (13%). Lactoferrin could be observed in the columnar cells of 21 cases (70%) and was positive in the basal cells of 2 cases (7%). In normal salivary gland tissue, alpha 1-ACT and lactoferrin were observed in the intercalated duct and serous acinar cells. The staining pattern of alpha 1-AT in adenolymphoma was similar to those of alpha 1-ACT and lactoferrin, however, the number of positive cases for alpha 1-AT was fewer than in the alpha 1-ACT and lactoferrin. alpha 1-AT was not found in the normal salivary gland. On the contrary, the localization of transferrin in the epithelial component of adenolymphomas was exclusively different from those of alpha 1-ACT, alpha 1-AT and lactoferrin. Transferrin was found more often in the basal cells than in the tall columnar apical cells. The staining pattern of transferrin in the normal salivary gland was different from alpha 1-ACT and lactoferrin, and transferrin was positive in the cytoplasm of intercalated ducts, serous acinar and myoepithelial cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Adenolymphoma; alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin; alpha 1-Antitrypsin; Epithelium; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Lactoferrin; Lactoglobulins; Salivary Gland Neoplasms; Submandibular Gland Neoplasms; Transferrin

Presence of lysozyme, lactoferrin, alpha 1-antitrypsin, alpha 1-antichymotrypsin and ferritin was examined by the immunoperoxidase method in 15 consecutive parotid gland tumors as well as in normal parotid gland tissue. Lysozyme and lactoferrin were detected in intercalated duct cells of normal tissue and in the epithelial component of pleomorphic adenomas. alpha 1-antitrypsin, alpha 1-antichymotrypsin and ferritin were found in both epithelial and mesenchymal components of pleomorphic adenomas but not in normal parotid tissue. In the epithelial component of adenolymphoma only alpha 1-antichymotrypsin and lactoferrin were observed. The results would support a tentative histogenetic link between the intercalated duct cell and the epithelial component of the pleomorphic adenoma.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adenolymphoma; Adenoma, Pleomorphic; alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin; alpha 1-Antitrypsin; Chymotrypsin; Ferritins; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Lactoferrin; Lactoglobulins; Muramidase; Parotid Neoplasms