Cytological features of chronic follicular cervicitis in liquid-based specimens: a potential diagnostic pitfall

A review of negative split-sample cervical cytology cases revealed five cases reported as chronic follicular cervicitis. These cases showed characteristic morphological features in conventional smears with lymphoid cells, plasma cells and tingible body macrophages smeared across the slides. This contrasts with the presentation of ThinPrep samples (Cytic Corporation, Boxburgh, MA, USA), where cells were observed aggregated in clumps. The different presentation noted in liquid-based samples may require careful microscopic evaluation at high-power magnification.     

Diagnosis of a peripheral neuroectodermal tumour by fine needle aspiration

One case of malignant peripheral neuroectodermal tumour successfully diagnosed by cytology is presented. Although a Papanicolaou stained smear could not lead to a diagnosis more specific than a malignant small cell tumour, ancillary analytic methods performed on the cytologic material including immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy yielded the correct diagnosis of peripheral neuroectodermal tumour. This case demonstrates that a precise categorization of small round cell tumours may be achieved by cytology as long as some material is kept for immunocytochemical and ultrastructural studies.     

Production of somatic hybrids by electrofusion in Solanum

Summary Conditions are described for large scale electrofusion of mesophyll protoplasts of dihaploid S. tuberosum with those of diploid S. brevidens. Overall fusion frequencies of 20%–30% were achieved, and following fusion, large numbers of protoplast-derived calli were obtained. Putative somatic hybrid plants were selected from the regenerated shoots by examining their morphological characteristics. Twenty-one somatic hybrids were confirmed by isoenzyme analysis and six somatic hybrids were further confirmed by Southern hybridization. Tetraploid hybrids were obtained, but cytogenetic studies indicated that more of the regenerated hybrids were hexaploid than had previously been found following chemical fusion of the same partners. Some advantages of electrofusion over chemical fusion are discussed.     

Seroreactivity to HPV-16 proteins in women with early cervical neoplasia

Summary Although serological reactivity to human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) proteins has been demonstrated in patients with invasive cervical carcinoma, the degree of seroreactivity to these proteins in women with preinvasive disease and its relationship to the HPV type associated with the disease are unclear. We obtained sera from 27 women undergoing cone biopsy for cervical precursor lesions and 22 controls and analyzed seroreactivity by Western blot to fusion proteins containing portions of the HPV-16 E4, L1 and L2 open-reading frames (ORFs). Positives were analyzed by scanning densitometry and intensity values for each case plotted relative to controls. Cervical biopsy specimens from patients were analyzed for HPV-16 nucleic acids by DNA · DNA in situ hybridization. Mean intensity values for seroreactivity to the pATH-E4 protein approached significance (P = 0.058) and a significantly higher proportion of cases vs controls registered values over 4.0 for pATH-E4 (26% vs 4.5%;P = 0.04) and pATH-L2 (48% vs 18%;P = 0.03) proteins. A significantly higher mean intensity value for E4 was observed for cases containing HPV-16 DNA vs HPV-16 negative cases or controls. Thus, seroreactivity to HPV-16-derived proteins may be more common in women with preinvasive cervical disease, and for some protein targets (E4) may indicate a relatively type-specific response.Supported in part by grants from the National Cancer Institute [CA 47676 (C.P.C.)], American Cancer Society [MV-395 (C.P.C.)] and an institutional support grant (J.K.R.). Dr. Crum is a recipient of a Physician Scientist Award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (AI00628)     

Necrotic Debris In Thyroid Aspirates: A Feature of Follicular Carcinoma of the Thyroid

Fine needle aspirates from 44 follicular thyroid tumours (30 adenomas, 14 carcinomas) have been studied. All aspirates contained neoplastic cells in follicular and trabecular arrangements. The individual tumour cells showed varying degrees of anisonucleosis and nuclear pleomorphism. Colloid was scanty or absent from all smears. Granular or filamentous necrotic material was observed in both biopsies and smears from one moderately and two poorly differentiated follicular carcinomas, but in none of the adenomas. This suggests that necrotic debris may be a feature of follicular carcinoma of the thyroid.     

Knob heterochromatin homology in maize and its relatives

Summary We have characterised the major DNA sequence component of knob heterochromatin in maize, teosinte andTripsacum. Sequence analysis of this DNA gives strong support to the proposal that maize originated by selection of variants in teosinte. In situ hybridization has confirmed that this repeating DNA sequence, which is the major component of maize knob heterochromatin, is also the major component of knobs in teosinte,Zea diploperennis andTripsacum. In Southern blot hybridizations the repeat has a similar basic organization in all taxa;Tripsacum, however, is differentiated from maize and teosinte by a number of sequence features. Maize and teosinte knob heterochromatin are indistinguishable with regard to the distribution of mutations in the 180-bp repeat and the presence and organization of a 202-bp variant sequence. The knob DNA sequence was not detectable in three species ofCoix, an Old World genus of the Maydeae.Within the repeat unit is a 27-bp region that shows no sequence changes in maize, teosinte orTripsacum. The remainder of the repeat unit has randomly distributed nucleotide changes. The presence of the conserved sequence region suggests that knob DNA may have a functional role in the nucleus.     

Scrape cytology in the diagnosis of Paget's disease of the breast

Eczema of the nipple is an important symptom presenting to the general surgeon in the out-patient department. the diagnosis of Paget's disease of the nipple has traditionally been made by incision biopsy necessitating at least a local anaesthetic. We present 14 patients with nipple skin change, in whom the technique of scrape cytology was used to identify patients with Paget's disease. In our series eight cases of Paget's disease were successfully identified by scrape cytology with no false negatives or positives. We suggest that this is a quick, easy, non-invasive method of screening eczema of the nipple in the out-patient clinic.     

Identification of aneuploid cells in cytological specimens by combined in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry

The purpose of our study was the application of non-isotopic in situ hybridization with chromosome-specific repetitive DNA probes for the determination of cytogenetically aberrant cells in routine cytological materials, such as cervical smears and breast tumour aspirates. Hyperdiploid cells in fine needle aspirates (FNA) of breast tumours could be visualized by in situ hybridization with a chromosome l-specific repetitive DNA probe. However, for the evaluation of a specific cell type in heterogeneous cell populations, i.e. cervical smears, a procedure combining immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization can be required. Therefore, we developed a combination protocol using β-galactosidase/ ferri-ferrocyanide (blue-green) for immunocytochemistry and peroxidase/DAB (brown-black) for detection of the DNA probe. the described protocol enabled us to distinguish squamous epithelial cells within heterogeneous cell populations. By combining the chromosome 1 DNA probe with a specific cytokeratin marker it was possible to identify the chromosomal abnormal cells within cervical smears.     

PCR检测HPV－18DNA

采用聚合酶链式反应（ＰＣＲ）技术,对ＨＰＶ－１８序列中引物ＨＰ＿１、ＨＰ＿２之间的片段（Ｆ）进行扩增,通过两组阴、阳性对照实验证明扩增片段的特异性。用不同Ｍｇ浓度的缓冲系统进行ＰＣＲ反应发现,缓冲系统中Ｍｇ浓度高低是影响ＨＰＶ－１８／ＨＰ＿１、ＨＰ＿２特异扩增的重要因素,高浓度Ｍｇ导致扩增特异性降低。对１７例宫颈癌组织ＤＮＡ进行ＰＣＲ检测,有９例检出Ｆ片段,其检出率是５３％,为ＨＰＶ－１８与宫颈癌的相关性提供证据。     

Impression Cytology In Patients With Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca

Impression cytology is a simple and painless procedure that allows the collection of the superficial layers of the conjunctival epithelium. Each sample is assigned a grade of epithelial metaplasia, and goblet cell density is calculated in each one. We have studied the superior and temporal bulbar conjuctiva of dry eyes and have compared it with that of normal controls. In normal and dry eyes we find a statistically significant difference both in goblet cell density and grade of metaplasia, between superior and temporal bulbar conjunctiva. the differences in grade of metaplasia and goblet cell density between normal and dry eyes are significant in the superior conjunctiva, but in the temporal conjunctiva we only find significant differences in grade of metaplasia.