muramidase and Fibrosarcoma

We report two cases of hyalinizing spindle cell tumors with giant rosettes arising in the pararectal space and soft tissues of the wrist in a 46-year-old man and 22-year-old-woman, respectively. Microscopically, the tumors exhibited a varied morphology, including hyalinizing hypocellular and cellular fibromatosis-like areas. The most striking morphologic feature was the formation of giant rosette like structures with collagen cores scattered throughout the tumors. Most of the tumor spindle cells were diffusely immunoreactive for lysozyme, CD-68, factor XIII and vimentin. Reactivity for smooth muscle actin, desmin and S-100 protein was not found. Ultrastructural examination of the rosettes in one case only showed normal native collagen.

Topics: Adult; Factor XIII; Female; Fibrosarcoma; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Middle Aged; Muramidase; Soft Tissue Neoplasms; Vimentin

An autopsy case of pigmented dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (Bednár tumor) with systemic metastasis is reported. No previous example of this tumor showing widespread metastasis has been reported in the literature. The patient, a 45-year-old man, developed a tumor on the right upper arm. The tumor recurred twice and metastasized to other parts of the skin, lungs and brain during the 8-year clinical course. The primary tumor contained melanin-laden tumor cells and showed a storiform growth pattern. Autopsy confirmed multiple metastatic lesions in the skin, lungs, brain, thyroid, pancreas, stomach, small intestine and thigh muscles. The recurrent and metastatic tumors lacked both melanin production and the storiform arrangement, and instead revealed "fibro-sarcomatous" change with a herring-bone or interlacing pattern of growth.

Topics: Adult; alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin; alpha 1-Antitrypsin; Autopsy; Brain Neoplasms; Desmin; Fibrosarcoma; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Muramidase; Myoglobin; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase; S100 Proteins; Skin Neoplasms; von Willebrand Factor

The staining pattern by Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA), a lectin used as a good marker for histiocytes, in 24 cases with malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) was studied and compared with that of 12 cases of fibrosarcoma (FS). In 20 (83%) of 24 cases of MFH, varying degrees of RCA binding were observed, whereas only four (33%) of 12 cases of FS were positive. RCA-positive FS included three cases with infantile FS and one adult case with post-radiation FS. Eight adult patients with FS were entirely negative. This positivity rate of RCA binding in MFH was much higher than those of antisera against lysozyme, alpha-1-antitrypsin, and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin previously reported. Seven MFH patients with focal aggregation of RCA-positive benign-appearing (reactive) histiocytes died earlier than the other patients with only scattered RCA-positive histiocytes; 5-year survival rates were 32% and 69%, respectively (p less than 0.05). These findings suggest that RCA reactivity can be used as a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker for MFH.

Topics: Adult; Aged; alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin; alpha 1-Antitrypsin; Female; Fibrosarcoma; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Lectins; Male; Middle Aged; Muramidase; Plant Lectins; Plants, Toxic; Ricinus communis; Soft Tissue Neoplasms; Staining and Labeling

183 cases of soft tissue tumors were studied utilizing the immunoperoxidase technique to demonstrate alpha-1-antitrypsin, ferritin and lysozyme. The series comprises 50 malignant lesions, 34 intermediate malignancy lesions, 99 benign lesions of fibrohistiocytic origin, and 23 malignant tumors of non fibrohistiocytic origin. The actual results of the study are as follows: alpha-1-antitrypsin, ferritin and lysozyme were always absent in 10 fibrosarcomas, 2 liposarcomas, 2 Ewing sarcomas, 3 synovial sarcomas, 4 neurofibrosarcomas, and 2 rhabdomyosarcomas, but in 24 malignant fibrous histiocytomas, 34 cases of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and 102 benign fibrohistiocytic lesions, these activities were present in a percentage that ranged between 12% and 38% (average 25%). Differences in the frequency of positive reactions did not occur between benign and malignant fibrohistiocytic lesions. The immunohistological examinations carried out have, therefore, only a very limited value for the practical diagnostic evaluation, but, when positive, are important to clarify the histogenesis of the tumor.

Topics: alpha 1-Antitrypsin; Ferritins; Fibroma; Fibrosarcoma; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Immunochemistry; Muramidase; Sarcoma; Soft Tissue Neoplasms

Forty-one cases of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans are presented. The clinical features and histopathological appearances are described. Immunohistochemical staining of thirteen cases with antisera to lysozyme, alpha 1-antichymotrypsin and S-100 protein has provided no evidence to support either a histiocytic or neuroectodermal origin for these tumours. In reviewing the literature, the histogenetic origin, differential diagnosis and malignant potential of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans are discussed.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin; Chymotrypsin; Female; Fibrosarcoma; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Muramidase; S100 Proteins; Skin Neoplasms

A protein-free synthetic cell-growth medium has been defined that permits long-term survival (greater than 120 days) of an established human colon tumor cell line, HT-29. Viability is dependent upon both the concentration of L-glutamine in the medium and the cell density at the time of initial transfer into it. Cell proliferation is minimal, thus obviating the necessity for subculturing. HT-29 adenocarcinoma cells maintained in large-scale culture with this medium continue to secrete the established colon tumor marker carcinoembryonic antigen as well as growth factors and lysozyme. These and, potentially, other important tumor-derived products can therefore be generated continuously in such cultures so that they can be isolated from a conditioned medium free of contaminating serum and protein supplements.

Topics: Carcinoembryonic Antigen; Carcinoma; Cell Line; Colonic Neoplasms; Culture Media; Fibrosarcoma; Glutamine; Growth Substances; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Muramidase; Proteins

Topics: Animals; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Cell Adhesion; Cells, Cultured; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Fibrosarcoma; Guinea Pigs; Liver Neoplasms; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental; Macrophages; Muramidase; Mycobacterium bovis; Phytohemagglutinins; Solubility; Tuberculin

Topics: Cells, Cultured; Depression, Chemical; Fibrosarcoma; Humans; Muramidase; Muscles; Sialic Acids

With progressive growth of syngeneic sarcomata in rats there was a rise in serum levels of lysozyme which correlated with their immunogenicity and their macrophage content. By an examination of lymph/blood differences in normal and in tumour bearing rats and of the production of lysozyme by cells obtained from the tumours and maintained in vitro, it is apparent that the macrophages resident in a tumour mass make a massive contribution to the elevation in serum lysozyme concentrations. Tumour cells did not release detectable lysozyme activity. Tumour amputation led to a rapid fall in lysozyme levels. Irradiation of the host rats abolished the lysozyme response and the subsequent development of metastases in these rats was associated with a rise in serum lysozyme. The serum concentration of this enzyme reflects the macrophage content of a tumour mass and the draining lymph nodes. We conclude that under well defined conditions serum lysozyme activity may be a useful marker of macrophage mediated host responses to a tumour.

Topics: Animals; Ascitic Fluid; BCG Vaccine; Cell Survival; Fibrosarcoma; Immunity; Immunosuppression Therapy; Lymph; Lymph Nodes; Macrophages; Muramidase; Mycobacterium bovis; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasm Transplantation; Propionibacterium acnes; Radiation Effects; Rats; Sarcoma, Experimental; Transplantation, Isogeneic