To establish early diagnosis of lymph node metastasis, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for cytokeratin 19 (CK19) mRNA was evaluated in detecting tumor cells in blood and lymph nodes in an animal model of squamous cell carcinoma (termed O-1 N) with high potential of lymph node metastasis. RT-PCR using primers for CK19 cDNA designed from human counterparts produced a single band of CK19 product which showed high homology with human and mouse CK19 s. CK19 mRNA was expressed in O-1 N cells, but not of blood and lymph nodes, indicating that CK19 mRNA is a good target of RT-PCR. In a spiking experiment, tumor cells diluted to 10² cells/2 ml of blood were detected by RT-PCR. The presence of tumor cells in blood was detected much earlier than the occurrence of lymph node and lung metastases. These results indicate that CK19 mRNA in blood can be used as a predicting marker for lymph node metastasis.

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The three-dimensional (3-D) architecture of the cribriform pattern in adenoid cystic carcinoma of salivary gland origin was studied by histological and immunohistochemical findings. Tumor cell nests had numerous spaces composed of both laminin negative true cystic spaces and laminin positive pseudocystic spaces with occasional interconnection to the outer stromal tissue by light microscope. By the 3-D architecture, in tumor cell nests with predominant pseudocyst, the true cystic spaces showed the isolated spherical shape, whereas the pseudocystic spaces showed the spherical and/or ovoid shape interconnected with other pseudocystic spaces. The mean number of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) per nucleus of the tumor cells forming the pseudocyst was significantly higher than that forming the true cyst. This study supports that these 3-D features were useful for a better understanding of biological characteristics of epithelial tumor cell nests of adenoid cystic carcinoma.

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The tooth germs of first mandibular molars of 17.5-day-old C3H mouse embryos were transplanted into the renal subcapsular spaces of 3-month-old syngenic male mice. Grafts were harvested at timed sequences from 1, 2, 3, 4 weeks and 2, 3, 4, 5 months, and were examined histopathologically by total serial sections. Of 32 cases of grafts, keratocyst-like lesions were formed in 13 cases, and dentigerous cyst-like lesions were formed in 7 cases. None of the cases developed two cysts at the same time. In the keratocyst-like lesions the cavity developed from the enamel epithelium in the early stage after transplantation, and in the dentigerous cyst-like lesion the cavity developed by cystic degeneration of stellate reticular layer of enamel organ in the late stage after transplantation. The present experiment revealed that keratocyst-like lesions and dentigerous cyst-like lesions developed through different histogeneses.

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Pemphigus is an autoimmune disease in which autoantibodies play a pathogenic role, causing loss of epithelial cell adhesion with resulting blister formation. In the present study, the distribution patterns of desmocollin 3 (Dsc 3), desmocollin 1 (Dsc 1) and desmoglein 1 and 2 (Dsg 1,2) in pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and pemphigus erythematosus (PE) were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Dsc 3 was distributed at the cell membrane of the basal and suprabasal layers of the normal oral mucosa and skin epithelium. Dsc 1 was distributed only at the cell membrane of the upper spinous layers of normal skin, and was not visible in normal oral mucosa epithelium. Dsg 1,2 was distributed at the cell membrane of the suprabasal layers of normal oral mucosa and skin epithelium. The distribution of Dsc 3 and Dsg 1,2 was obviously sparser in the oral PV and cutaneous PV than in normal control epithelium. Internalization of Dsc 3, Dsc 1 and Dsg 1,2 occurred specifically in PV and PE, giving staining patterns resembling cytoplasmic patchy granules, rings and dense clumps. Internalization of Dsc 3 was more frequent in cutaneous PV (60%) and PE (60%) than in oral PV (30%). These findings suggest that internalization of Dsc 3 is closely associated with disease duration (P<0.01) and disease severity (P<0.05) in PV, and that not only desmogleins but also desmocollins may play an etiological role.

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The purpose of the present study was to investigate the localization of β-defensin-2 (hBD-2) peptide on tissue sections of normal salivary gland and salivary gland tumor. Immunohistochemical staining was carried out using polyclonal rabbit anti-hBD-2 antibody. No positive reaction could be detected in normal salivary gland. In cases of pleomorphic adenoma, keratinization of the squamous epithelial island shows positive reaction for hBD-2 peptide with various intensities. The keratinization may be the only place to deposit hBD-2 peptide secreted from the epithelial cells in salivary gland tumors.

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A case of Hodgkin's disease, mixed cellularity type, similarly to the histological findings of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is presented. A 64-year-old man with a painless mobile swelling of left submandibular lymph nodes was referred to Nagasaki University Dental Hospital. CT, MRI and ultrasonic examination identified three enlarged lymph nodes adjacent to the submandibular gland. Histologically, proliferation of lymphoid cells with clusters of epithelioid cells, plasma cells and a few eosinophils were observed. Giant cells with one or more bizarre nuclei including distinct nucleoli were scattered or cohesively arranged in the lymph nodes. The giant cells were regarded as Hodgkin or Reed-Sternberg cells. However, cohesive arrangement and immunopositivity for EMA of the giant cells resemble the findings of ALCL. In order to discriminate between Hodgkin's disease and ALCL, immunohistochemical examination using other antibodies was performed. Finally, the lesion was diagnosed as Hodgkin's disease because of immunoreactivity for CD 15, CD 30 and EBV-LMP 1, and strong reactivity for fascin, in addition to the presence of classical Reed-Sternberg cells.

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Oral lymphoepithelial cyst occurring in the sublingual region of a 30-year-old Japanese man is reported. This is a rare lesion that develops within oral lymphoid tissue. Clinical and pathological findings of our case show almost the same appearance as the cases which were reported previously. Serial sectioning was done in this case. We observed the salivary duct structure in the lymphoid tissue. We concluded that the histopathogenesis of this lesion is Bhaskar's “enclavement theory”.

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A case of Wegener's granulomatosis with lingual and gingival ulcer is reported. The patient was a 29-year-old man who was referred to our department for diagnosis of lingual and gingival ulcers. Histopathologically, the lesion was diagnosed as ulcer due to fibrinoid necrosis and vasculitis. The patient was finally diagnosed as having Wegener's granulomatosis based on an examination of his whole body and the laboratory findings, in addition to histopathologic examination of oral and skin lesions.

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Central odontogenic granular cell tumor (COGCT) is a rare neoplasm, and although there have been previous immunohistochemical analysis and electron microscopic studies reported in the literature, the histogenesis of the granular cells has not been elucidated. We performed immunohistochemical analysis of a COGCT, in which the granular cells stained positively for α-1-antichymotrypsin and weakly positively for vimentin. However, since all other stains, including s-100 protein, desmin, neurofilament, α-smoothmuscle actin, CD 68, and MAC 387, were negative, our immunohistochemical findings suggested that the granular cells were derived from histiocytic cells.

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